wars of interest
by Queen-oh-no-a-whovian
Summary: Emma is an Assassin. Killian is a Templar. so what happens when natural enemies fall in love
1. the killer's back

**Author's note:**

 **So I've been waiting a while to start this one because of 'A still pure heart' but I have writers block when it comes to that one, so I decided to start this one. There won't be any reference to the characters of any of the Assassin's creed games/ books so I'm not counting it as a cross over. Please enjoy :)**

 **Disclaimer: not even close**

The killer's back

 _September 20 1716_

God it's dull, sitting in a carriage in the middle of London waiting to arrive at a masquerade ball she has no interest in going to, with a man sitting beside her who's all hands. This is not what Emma signed up for, he could have at least waited until they arrived before drinking so much that he can't form coherent words.

She really needs to talk to the grandmaster about this man, she's sick of her fellow guild members- especially him- treating her like a… woman. She may be a female but that makes her no less capable and no less an Assassin.

She's been in the brotherhood since she was five, the guild master took her in when her parents died in a house fire she was lucky not to have been in. they started training when she was ten and now she's one of the best the brotherhood has.

She's still on the job so to speak, she has her mark, now all she has to do is learn their secrets before all hell breaks loose. There are dozens of innocent lives on the line, all to be forced into slavery if she doesn't get their destination. Unfortunately, torture isn't the thing that's going to get information, which is why she's in this ridiculous dress. She hates dresses, always has, always will. And she has to socialise with a person she'd rather kill.

She stares out of the carriage window longing for the moment she can be free of these confines, she's not used to it, and she's even less fond of the fact she's stuck here with him. Neal Cassidy. A total pain in her arse, an ex-Templar and a drunk. They were assigned to pose as a couple to the ball and although she once liked him, had gone out to dinner a few times, she soon realised what a bloody prick he was and ended things then and there. But now she has to put up with him for a night. Wonderful.

As the carriage pulls up, the horse's hooves pulling to a stop on the cobble stone street, she sighs and puts on her mask, tying the ribbon at the back of her head, carful of her golden curls. She smiles at the carriage driver when he opens her door and steps out, inhaling deeply with a happy sigh, no longer feeling cramped. She heads up the steps to the large doors with Neal in tow, murmuring to himself. Yep this is going to be a rather long and difficult night…

He scans the room from above, watching the people mill about socialising like roaches, he's not exactly hidden but unless someone is deliberately looking none of the fancy ponces below will see him. Killian was requested to come by the Templar Grandmaster- Mr Gold- there was an Assassin plot unveiled recently to get the information of the slave owner's whereabouts and the Grandmaster believes that an Assassin will show up at this very ball to find out. Should be easy to dispatch of the pest.

Out of all the Templar knights they could have asked though, why'd it have to be him? He has no interest in being here, he has better things to do, like drink and play card games with pirates, his favourite past time. Instead he had to come all the way back to England, from the Caribbean, just to sort out someone else's mess.

He continues to watch from his vantage point until he sees a woman, then all his attention is on her. She is radiant, beyond beautiful, her golden hair falling over her shoulders, her green gown fitting her curves perfectly. He sees her stiffen and then look directly at him and then he thinks for just a moment that maybe she's the Assassin. But then he sees her smile, even from that distance, even with the mask he sees her smile and he knows it's genuine, no Assassin could smile like that.

He walks down the stairs still scanning the crowd, still doing his job, but most of his thoughts are now consumed by the beauty behind the white lace swan feathered mask. When he reaches where he saw her, she's nowhere to be seen and his heart drops a little, then a fierce determination fills him, he will see her again and he will get the chance to meet her.

He continues his mission, searching for suspicious activity, all while looking for the enchanting woman in the swan feather mask.

As she enters the ball room she automatically feels eyes on her, she left the drunkard behind so she could do her job in comfort without a drunken distraction, and now someone is watching her. She lifts her head in the direction she feel the stare coming from and a man in a bronze mask is standing at the top of a staircase looking directly at her. She doesn't sense that he's a threat so she smiles at him and continues her business. She has some information to gather.

She glances around as she takes a flute of Champaign and takes a pull of it as she searches for her mark. He's nowhere to be seen yet but she's patient, she can wait for him to she up.

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you" Neal saunters up to her with, go figure, more alcohol

"That's nice to know, because I've been _avoiding_ everywhere for you" she huffs

"We're supposed to be working together, Emma" he sounds surprisingly not drunk, which means he was acting. For fucks sake.

"Okay Mr 'working together' tell me where do you suppose our mark is? Because he certainly isn't here" she really isn't in the mood to put up with Neal right now.

Neal looks around, scanning the crowd just as she had done, and shrugs with a huff. She rolls her eyes and continues to search the crowd, sifting through possibilities. She go to the second floor to where that man was standing but that would look suspicious and she can't risk getting caught. She could go for a wander, feign curiosity, and find a study within the building but most people don't actually fall for that no matter how good at acting you are. She could try the stair case idea and take Neal, make it look like a… nope, nope, nope, no chance in hell.

The only sane options she has are wait around and hope the mark shows up or leave and give the job a try another day. Yeah right like that's happening. The waiting game, it seems, is on.

Once again she finds herself beyond bored, she's been waiting for an hour for this guy to show up, whiling away the time with idle chit chat with complete strangers. Neal's been keeping fairly close, only wandering short distances to scope the area.

It's both convenient and inconvenient in their line of work to be at a masquerade ball. Convenient because no one recognises you, inconvenient because you can't recognise anyone else without close up inspections. With all the people moving about she's starting to get the feeling that she isn't going to find the target at all. Then she sees him, a white wig and a wide face and a rotund gut, yes that's him. The Templar slave trader.

"Good evening lass" the man from the stair case appears "care to dance"

Well she can't say no that would look suspicious. what the hell, eh? She takes his proffered hand and he guides her to where others are dancing. Her thoughts go to her target and then disappear when he puts his hand on her waist. She should really be doing her job… but it's not like she could deny.

 **None of the events I'm gonna mention in this story won't be real, luckily this is an au so I can change some things. This is going to be fun though… Reviews? Please?**


	2. details, details

**Author's note:**

 **I'm adding French and maybe Latin to this story, I feel like it'll make it better**

 **Disclaimer: nope**

Details, details

They're standing close to each other, close enough that she can see his crystal clear blue eyes even with the mask. God she wishes she didn't have to come to this fancy ass ball.

"Care to tell me your name lass?" the stranger smiles as they move across the floor.

"Not overly no" she sighs, she really doesn't need him knowing her name "what's the point in going to a masquerade ball, if you tell people who you are?"

"Well that's no fun" he leans in close "why don't you tell me your name so I can be the only one here who knows it" he whispers.

"Unfortunately for you monsieur, you would not be"

"That's a shame. but…"

"Emma, we need to leave" Neal says breathless, interrupting the dark haired stranger.

"What have you done?" Emma says warily fully aware of the blue eyed man beside her.

"I may have…" he breathes glancing at the man beside her " _touched someone's wife_ " the code word, he came up with, that says he's found the information they needed.

"Why am I not surprised?" she feigns anger, glancing at the man from the corner of her mask. He's looking at Neal with utter disdain, a tick in his jaw and his lips a thin line. It's kinda how she looks at Neal most of the time. "We should leave before you get into further trouble" she sighs

"You're really going to leave with him?" the man asks as she walks to the exit with Neal.

"Well I did arrive with him" she snapped his curiosity is far too much for her liking.

She continues out the building, Neal just a step ahead of her, when she looks back the man isn't following them, thank god. They get into the carriage and it spurs into motion, she pulls off her mask and sighs. She has some slaves to save and hopefully she'll never see the handsome stranger again.

When she left he felt empty, like apart of him just ran away, he continued doing his job though. He listened and watched, paid attention to the smaller details, he mostly did it to distract himself. The woman, Emma, had left and he found himself feeling miserable. It's not just that but he recognised the man Emma had left with. A traitor.

He doesn't suspect that Emma is working with him, just that she's caught up with the wrong kind of man.

Now he's sitting in a drawing room two hours later, being yelled at for not doing his job. The slaves were freed and a message sent by courier arrived saying that two unknown assailants had killed most of the guards and helped the people escape.

Honestly he couldn't care less, keeping slaves is wrong and most of his sea fairing companions started off as slaves and he knows exactly how they were treated.

"Grandmaster" he says "your son, Neal, was here tonight"

Mr Gold freezes, stunned by the revelation that his son was most likely the one who did this. He's staring at Killian with a mix between rage, hurt and pain, and Killian is staring back with a look of utter boredom because he really doesn't care for this man's personal issues.

"Neal… he was here?"

"Aye. He left in a hurry about two hours ago, I have a feeling he got what he came for"

"Why didn't you stop him?" he slams his fist on the desk.

"Because I didn't recognise him until it was too late" he sighs. He's lying of course, he recognised Neal straight away even with the ridiculous mask he was wearing, the reason he didn't do anything was because of Emma.

She seemed so determined to make him work for her name and he ended up learning it from Neal, the traitorous pig who has probably done her more harm than good, he lied to her about what he was doing… why does he even care? Emma's a stranger he'll most likely never see again and Neal's probably a dead man walking if the look on his father's face says anything.

"Take care of him Jones. My son's become too much of a liability, he's a traitor to the Templar cause and cannot be allowed to continue"

"Of course Grandmaster" he makes to leave but Gold stops him.

"Oh and Jones, if you can, bring him back. I must give my son a decent burial, he may be a traitor but he's still my blood"

"Aye" he sighs and leaves the room.

It shouldn't take too long, London may be a large place but he has his resources, and a rat like Neal would stand out in even the dirtiest of corners. His only problem is bringing him back.

He thinks of Emma as he steps into a carriage, this'll be better for everyone, including her. He can't help but think though that this'll hurt her in a way, he may be a bastard but they were obviously together. He sighs and asks the driver to take him to the docks. That is where he'll begin his search.

They saved them, all the people who were to be sold into slavery are all safe and free. Emma is smiling like never before, she's always wanted to help and not just kill and now she has, she's helped, she's a hero.

She has a feeling though, that this sense of accomplishment isn't going to last very long. It's been an hour two hours since they freed the slaves and three since they left the ball, the Templars undoubtedly know by now what happened. There will be recompense on their part and that never ends well for anyone.

"Neal are you alright?" he's been pacing for the last twenty minutes, he looks anxious, not that she really cares.

"They've sent someone to kill me" he mutters under his breath.

"What do you mean they've sent someone to kill you?" he's still muttering, most of it incoherent.

"My father has sent someone to kill me!" he yells, fear etched in his features "obviously someone recognised me, told him and he sent someone to kill me. One of my contacts mentioned that a guy was looking for me and I just know he's a Templar."

"Well what can we do? I may not be very fond of you but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you die" she hops of the settee to still his movements, looking him directly in the eye, he calms straight away. A softness enters his features and she raises an eyebrow. Why is he smiling?

"We could go to another safe house? The risk moving from here to there is going to be the problem though" he says glancing at her lips. She shakes her head, it's too risky even by her standards.

"Guess if they find you we gotta give 'em hell eh?" she sighs, removing her hand from his arm and sitting back on the settee.

"No you should go, let him find me" he frowns

"What?" she gasps

"He's looking for me not you, I'm not going to have you beside me when he comes to kill me"

"No, are you insane?" she screeches. He has to be crazy if he's considering this.

"Before I die though…"

"You're not going to die" she interjects.

"Before I die I want you to know that… I … I'm in love with you"

Before she can say anything else, he pulls a sleeping dart from his pocket and jabs her in the leg with it murmuring apologies as she falls from consciousness. Her vision goes blank and the last thing she feels is a gentle kiss to her lips.

He's finally found it, the bastards safe house, took him over an hour and a half but he's finally here and he's going to end this miserable pricks life.

He picks the lock quietly, looking around to see the coast is clear and walks right in, stepping lightly on the creaky floor boards. He finds him leaning over someone on the settee, sitting beside her, running his fingers through her hair and Killian has a feeling he knows exactly who she is.

"I knew you'd find me" he says not turning around "I tried to get her to leave so she'd be safe, but for a girl who loathes me she protested rather stubbornly"

"What did you do to her?" he asks grasping the hilt of his sword.

He chuckles dryly "she's only sleeping, unless you decide otherwise. She'll wake up in a few hours, I'll be long dead and you'll be long gone" he turns "I know you, don't I?"

"Aye, we haven't met officially but I was dancing with her earlier, before you took her and left" he sighs stepping further into the room.

"Let's get this over with… oh, by the way, I'd leave her here. She may not be an Assassin, but she'll kick your arse" something flickered across his face and then it was gone and a steely resolve took its place.

They draw their swords and the battle begins, slicing this way and that, the clash of steel ringing in his ears and sparks fly. It's over quickly though, one wrong move and his sword drives into Neal's chest, blood pours from the wound and stains the carpet as Neal falls to the floor breathing his last. He looks at Emma one last time as he dies and a smile spreads across his face and freezes there.

He yanks his sword from Neal's chest and wipes it clean with a cloth. He re-sheaths his sword and wraps the body up to carry it out to the carriage. Before he leaves the room, he looks at Emma, still fast asleep. He considers taking her for a moment but decides against it, she may not be an Assassin but she seems like she can handle herself, and if she wakes up she might not show mercy.

He sighs and leaves. He has a delivery to make…

She wakes with a headache and she instantly knows from the smell of blood in the room that Neal is dead, that the Templar killed him and taken his body it seems. She pulls herself off the settee and wobbles drunkenly toward the door.

She has to tell the others what happened to Neal. She has to let them know she's fine, and that the job has been done regardless of Neal's sacrifice.

 _Libertatem vocat amici mei._

 **What did you guys/gals think? Review worthy?**


	3. deadlines

**Author's note:**

 **Everything I do to separate each section isn't working :'(**

 **Disclaimer: so not mine.**

Deadlines

October 5 1716 

It's been almost three weeks since Neal was murdered and most of the guild has been taking it hard, but not Emma, she's had this her whole life it's not new to her.

Robin, Will, Ruby, August, they've all befriended him at some point and they were all hit hard and all she's done is do more jobs. It's her way of grieving, she may not have liked him much but what he said before he knocked her out with the dart has played through her head ever since. She didn't like him but he loved her and that's what meant something to her.

She's sitting on the roof across the street to the restaurant her mark is in. he entered with a bunch of people –fellow Templars- about half an hour ago for a lunch reservation, now all she has to do is wait until he leaves, follow him and kill him. Should be simple as long as she gets the opening.

She knows he's walking to his next destination, she just isn't sure where it is yet or she would have gone there and waited for him to show up.

Her target's name is Felix, fairly young for a Templar that causes as many problems as him. He does much of the physical work, torture and the like. He's only nineteen but he seems fairly capable of taking care of himself. She doesn't expect this'll be easy, nothing ever is, but she doesn't think it's going to be overly hard either.

They finally exit at half past noon and most of them go their separate ways, save for one who walks alongside Felix, a thatch of dark hair that looks oddly familiar. She pulls up her hood, her loose hair spilling around the edges, and begins to walk along the roof watching them the entire time.

They turn a corner heading away from her, so she runs to catch up, jumping across the gap between buildings and running along the taught rope lines bridging the larger gaps. She sees them again and slows down, keeping a distance but staying close enough to make out what they're saying.

"You're rather childish for an adult" Felix says stepping over a drunk man.

"And you're rather violent for a child" the unknown man retorts.

"True, it's why I'm good at what I do" he smirks

"Torturing innocents?"

"You're spending too much time with pirates" he scoffs "they're planting the idea of freedom into your head"

The man shakes his head and they continue walking, unknowing of the fact that they're being watched.

"Honestly I'd prefer to be back in the Caribbean but alas Gold said I had to stay because I was getting lazy"

"Were you?" Felix questions moving toward a cellar door.

"Course I was. There's nothing to do there but drink and be a pirate"

"So you became a pirate out of what? Boredom?" Felix laughs

"There was no other reason" he laughs stepping into the cellar behind Felix.

Emma curses, she could have handled them outside but in a possible dead end there isn't a chance. Two against one in close quarters is insanity to even attempt.

Oh universe you are too sweet. Felix is back out of the cellar, this is her chance. He's all alone and doesn't stand a chance.

She walks along until she's directly above him on the roof, engages her hidden blade and jumps, landing atop him in one move driving the blade into his back and killing him instantly. A clean kill, not a speck of blood hit her.

She steps off him a sheaths her blade. Something catches her eye underneath the fresh corpse. A package that wasn't there before is now crushed beneath him, a ceramic item going by the rather sharp shards protruding into his gut.

She hears the click of a pistol behind her and freezes, she knows it's pointed at her and that it most likely belongs to the dark haired man.

"I suggest you turn around slowly mate" she smirks. Mate.

"Are you sure you want to use that on a woman?" she faces him, and the surprise on his face is adorable. But she also see recognition which is never a good thing when it comes to an enemy.

"You?" oh shit he does recognise her, she hasn't the faintest idea who he is but he seems to know her.

"Me?" she steps back. "I don't know you…" ah that's right "the man from the masquerade ball"

"Aye" he says lowering his gun. Why did he just lower his gun?

"You know it's funny" another step back "I never got your name. I know you know mine, because my friend didn't keep his mouth shut" another step.

"Killian. Killian jones" he blurts out, watching her feet as she takes another step back.

"So tell me Killian, are you going to let me go or is one of us going to die from this little encounter?" she smirks

"Tell me your surname and I'll let you go" interesting turn of events, she can go with that.

"How do I know you won't just shoot me in the back as soon as I try to leave?" he drops his gun and she raises an eyebrow. She is so confused right now, he seems so determined just to what? Earn her trust?

"Please lass, just your surname?" he smiles, he doesn't seem to even care that she killed his friend.

"Swan" she turns to leave and gets a few steps away before he says back.

"I hope we meet again one day Emma Swan" she smiles and turns the corner, silently hoping that day never comes.

/

/

He didn't think he'd see her again, no matter how much he hoped he would, nothing could have prepared him for that though. The moment she turned and he could see the golden hair his heart skipped, she was just leaning over a rather dead Felix, she had killed him and Killian found he didn't much care. She's an Assassin but he find he doesn't care about that either.

He looks around and grabs the body, dragging him into the cellar and dumping him unceremoniously at the bottom of the stairs, he never much liked Felix so his death is no great loss on his part. Killian checks to see that the coast is clear and re-emerges from the cellar, padlocking the door behind him.

He walks back to the street, smelling the not so fresh sent of crap and wet horse as he steps back into the open. He gets into a carriage and asks to be taken to Mr Gold's mansion, he has some lying to do.

He was told to find the other Assassin that helped Neal and now he's fairly certain he has, he's going to lie to protect her. He doesn't know why, he just knows that he should. Which is why he is going to risk the wrath of the Templar Grandmaster. All because he has a crush on the enemy…

It takes a full half hour to finally arrive at the mansion all the while he spent being consumed by thoughts of the beautiful blonde Emma Swan. The flashes of bemusement when he had offered her freedom for her last name. The way she reacted when he dropped the gun to the ground. He had felt so desperate just to earn even a little bit of her trust, he would have done anything and still will just to earn that flicker of trust.

He knocks on the mansion door three times, awaiting the moment the butler gets his head out of his arse. The door opens and the shifty little butler poke his head out the door, sticking his nose up as soon as he sees Killian.

"I have news" he says simply. The butler nods and ushers him in and tells him to wait.

A few more minutes pass before Gold arrives dressed in his finest, his wife Belle at his side.

"Over there please Jones" he says letting go of his wife's arm and moving over to the next room "what is it?"

"I found and killed the Assassin but alas I cannot prove it to you because he fell into the Thames and sunk like a rock"

"Well at least the pest is dead" he shrugs.

"Unfortunately though the Assassin got Felix, before I got him" he sighs feigning frustration

"Of course he did" he groans "I'm going out to the theatre, I trust you can take care of any problems?"

"Of course Grandmaster Gold" at that he is left alone, his thoughts churning once more.

He decides he's not going to wait for a happy accident for him to see Emma again, he's going to go find her.

/

/

"There's a Templar asking around about you" Ruby says as Emma walks through the door.

"Seriously?" she whines "fine I'll find him before he finds me"

"Emma be careful, we've already lost Neal we can't lose you as well" she says giving her a hug.

Ruby has been her closest friend over the years, almost like a sister, nothing has ever come between their friendship and nothing ever will.

"I will. Don't worry about me" she smiles moving back to the door "if there's anything I'm good at, it's kicking Templar ass"

"See you soon Emma" she nods and leaves. It seems she has a Templar to find.

++++++/++++++

Finding him was beyond easy and finding out it was Killian that was asking around was unnerving but she found him none the less.

He just turned into the alley right beneath her, so she stands up tall, the moon behind her back and calls.

"I hear you were asking about me" he freezes and looks around obviously unaware of where she is. "When you said you hoped you'd see me again, I didn't think you'd try to make it so soon" she laughs and he looks up.

"Ah, but with a woman as beautiful as you do you really blame me?" did he just flirt?

"I'm not interested" she huffs backing up from the edge and making to leave.

"Oh come one lass" he grunts trying to scale the wall "I just wanted to talk"

She sits on top an unlit chimney, to watch, knowing that he's trying to climb a wall when there's a ladder just around the corner from where he is. When he finally makes it up, after almost twenty minutes of grunting trying to climb the wall, she's laughing at him. Mirthful tears fall from her eyes and her gut hurts from the hilarity of it.

He's staring at her as if she's gone mad, an eyebrow raised and a questioning smirk on his lips. She finally calms down enough to point at the ladder sticking up from the edge of the roof and she hears him groan when he realises why she's laughing. Letting him scale the wall when he could have used to ladder to get up there was just too damn funny to resist.

"Bad form not telling me the ladder was there Swan"

"Oh I'm sorry" she wipes away a tear "I just couldn't resist the opportunity. It was too good to pass up"

"Well at least you got to enjoy my torment" he rolls his eyes

"That I did… now, what was it you wanted"

"I…" he scratches behind his ear "I wanted to get to know you"

"Why would you want that?" she frowns, her eyebrows knitting together as she tries to think of a reason he would want to know her. A trick? A trap?

"Is it really that difficult to understand love?" he steps closer.

"Yes unfortunately, it really is"

"Well then let me clarify for you. You're beautiful and I want to get the chance to know you without letting the Templar/ Assassin thing get in the way" he sighs

"It's already pretty damn in the way" she hops off the chimney. "You know what? I haven't got anything to do, so sure let's have a chat. Just know that if you try anything, I'll drive my blade into your gut without hesitation"

He nods and smiles and she hops down off the building, waiting at the bottom of the ladder for him.

They spend the next three hours talk, about nothing to personal and she feels a connection to him. When they part it's as unlikely friends and she just knows this can't end well.

 **Reviews?**


	4. that little bit of trust

**Author's note:**

 **Disclaimer: no**

The little bit of trust

October 6 1716

He wakes with a smile on his face, he got to speak with Emma and was beyond happy to see her. He was relieved to find out that Emma had no idea who killed Neal, he's fairly certain if she knew she would have killed him, or at least tried to.

They shared bits of their past, he mostly talked about his time in the Caribbean and she mostly talked about how she never left the country. They never mentioned anything they've done for their sides, but they never got too personal either. Killian never mentioned his brother and the reason he joined the Templars and Emma never mentioned whatever reason she had for joining the Assassins. He's going to wait for her to trust him, but if she finds out he was the one who killed Neal that might never happen.

He stretches and gets out of the bed, moving over to the washbasin to clean his face. He has nothing to do, no work to attend to, so he's decided he's going to the closest tavern and getting drunk. Not the most elegant member of the Templar order but he never cared much about that anyway. He gets his favourite set of clothes, simple boots, breeches, loose shirt long jacket and several belts for his sword and pants. He's declared this outfit his 'pirate clothes' and looking at him anyone would believe he is a pirate.

He dons his tricorn and leaves his fancy home for the filthy streets of London he's got nothing better to do but think. All he's thinking about is Emma, her voice, her hair, her eyes and most of all her beauty. He needs to see her again and he's going to do anything to make that happen. He just hopes she never finds out about who killed Neal.

He sighs and continues to the closest tavern, he wants to let of steam and getting drunk then starting a fight sounds like a party.

/././././././././.

/./././././.

Her job takes her everywhere, but she hates it when it takes her to a tavern in the middle of the city. She hates taverns and she hates the middle of the city. She's not opposed to drink, it's the type of people who frequent taverns that she hates. Now she has to find a mark who frequents this particular tavern.

It's early when she arrives, she needs information first so arriving before the target is always best. She looks around and sees that there is no shortage of leering arseholes in the musky room, all either playing cards or staring her with curious or perverted smiles. She rolls her eyes and moves over to a stool.

She doesn't bother pulling her hood down, doesn't really need to. She orders a whisky and looks around the room, groaning to herself when she spots the lecherous looks of other patrons. She's not even wearing anything revealing, not even a dress, just black pants and her robes with some weaponry belts, why are they looking at her like she's naked?

"Fancy seeing you here" she rolls her eyes, she knows that voice. She turns to face him and is surprised to see that he's not wearing the same fancy type clothes he was wearing the last two times she saw him but simple clothes that make him look like a pirate.

"Are you following me?" she snaps

"On the contrary love I think you're the one following me" he chuckles

"Why on earth would I do that?" she rolls her eyes and sips her whiskey.

"Maybe because I'm devilishly handsome? Hmmm?" he smirks

"Ugh, I'm here on a job and the fact you're here is going to fuck it up" she growls

"A job? You have a target here?" his brow furrows

"I'm not telling you anything else, but I may as well leave. I'm not going to have a chance with you here to warn them"

"What makes you think I'd do that?" he says as if it's nothing

"What?" she gasps, her brow knitting together in confusion "why wouldn't you?"

He makes to say something but the tavern door slams open, guards pouring in, her target leading the group.

"I knew there'd be an Assassin here so I decided to bring some friends" he shouts toward her.

She looks at Killian a sneer on her face, he warned them he had to. He must've told them before he showed up. Maybe he showed up saw her, went to find him and warn him then returned. Looking at him though he only looks worried by the people and the look she's giving him. She reaches behind the counter and grabs a hefty bottle, still full of alcohol and throws it at the front man while pulling her pistol.

She shoots her target in the head before a single one of the soldiers have time to respond to her lightning fast moves. She makes a dash for the back, moving past the bar tender and running through the building to the exit at the back of the tavern. She hears a shot but ignores it, her target is dead and she doesn't need to wait around any longer.

Footsteps are following behind her so she steps around a corner and waits, she will not let anyone follow her any further. He runs around the corner and she grabs him, slamming him against the wall of the alley harshly and places her blade against his throat.

"Bloody hell"

"Why the fuck do you keep following me?" she whispers violently, not wanting to draw attention but wanting to get the point across. She's not putting up with any lies.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright, I thought I saw you get shot" he winces "and before you think it no, I didn't warn them"

"Why should I believe you?" he shakes his head "why?"

"I can't give you a reason Emma, I wish I could but I have no way to make you believe me" he swallows, holding his head high.

"Fine, you can't give me a reason that's fine…. But is I see you again you're dead" she growls, backing off.

"Emma…"

She hits him hard in the face, not letting him continue, and leaves him unconscious in the alley. She doesn't want to continue listening to excuses from a Templar. She's done her job time to go collect her pay.

/././././././././././././././.

/./././././././././././././.

He's lost it. That little bit of trust he's earned is gone, all because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. He's going to try and get it back though, it's not going be easy seeing as she plans on killing him next time she sees him, but he's determined.

His head hurts, for a woman she has a hell of a right hook. He gets up and promptly collapses again, concussion effecting his sight and equilibrium, making him as dizzy as a drunk man. Killian groans and pushes himself to his feet again, this time balancing himself against the wall. He's not angry at her for knocking him out, he understands, trust is not something Assassins would ever give lightly, especially not to someone like him. Especially not to a Templar.

He hobbles to the entrance of the alley, guiding his way with a hand on the wall beside him. He looks to the sun, he's only been unconscious for about twenty minutes. The sun's barely moved. He can see something on the roof across the street and he squints to see.

It's Emma, she's standing on the roof staring at him. He takes a step forward, almost collapsing on the spot. He sees her step forward, but he can't see her face, but the way she stepped looked an awful lot like she wanted to help. She stops stares for a moment, then disappears on the other side of the roof.

He sighs and makes himself move to get to a carriage. The way she stayed for a few extra minutes has given him hope that maybe there's something there for her as well…

/./././././././././.

./././././././././././.

She doesn't know why she stayed to make sure he was alright, but she waited until he swaggered drunkenly out of the alley. She should have just left, should have gone to get her pay and not care whether or not he died from concussion, but for some reason Emma cared enough to wait at a distance.

Not matter how much she is trying to deny it, she could see it in his eyes. Killian cares about her and she cares about him. She hopes it doesn't progress, after all she's an Assassin, she should have killed him the moment she found out he was a Templar. But she hasn't and she has a feeling that she will not follow through on her threat.

She's pulled from her thoughts as she enters the sanctuary

"Emma? Are you ok?" Robin asks concern written on his face.

"Huh? Yeah I'm fine Robin" she lies, her thoughts are too muddled to be fine.

"Well how was it? Did you get the target?"

"Uh yes. I'm lucky I did though, someone warned him and he had back up"

"Who warned him? How much back up?" his brow furrows

"I don't know who warned him but there was like six other guys. I'm lucky I have quick reflexes, they never even got a shot off before he was down"

"Well at least you're safe. Here's your pay" he hands her a hefty purse of coin and goes to his office.

Now she's left to her thoughts again. She goes to her room and drops the purse onto the desk, collapsing on the bed a moment later. She can't understand why she even spared Killian, he's a Templar. He's the enemy. She has a feeling it's not that simple, not any more.

She continues to think, it's far too early to go to sleep no matter how much she wants to. She can't let her emotions get the better of her. If it ever comes to it, if it's her life or his she will kill him to save herself but today was not that day.

 **Reviews?**


	5. trouble comes in twos

**Author's note:**

 **I'm having a lot of fun writing this one. I hope you all like this though, I'm not just writing it for me. I'm writing it for you :)**

 **Disclaimer: unfortunately not**

Trouble comes in twos

October 28 1716

Idiot, should have waited, shouldn't have been drinking before a job. He didn't think, he just acted and now he's running from a bunch of guards. An armada of lead shots shatter the walls around him, sending splinters of wood flying as he runs past, the shots barely missing him. He knows it was stupid, of course it was, going in without back up. An Assassin might have been able to pull this off but he's no Assassin.

He turns a corner and enters the first door he sees, locking it behind him, quietly hoping none of the guards saw him enter the room. He may be skilled in combat but he's not skilled enough to fight eight men at once. A feminine chuckle sounds behind him and he freezes.

"Quite the mess you've made" he sighs in relief when he hears her voice, because it's the one he's dreamt of for weeks now.

"Emma" he smiles and turns to face her, gods, she's still so beautiful.

"And I thought I was having a bad day" she smirks.

He takes a moment to look around the room, a library, noting the piles of books throughout the room and the one Emma is holding. An old leather bound journal, probably the one he was here for.

"What are you doing here?" he asks eying the journal.

She points to the ground behind her, to a body lying on the ground behind her seat. Blood spurting from a fresh wound, staining the floor red. He crinkles his nose is disgust as the stench of blood reaches him. "I had a job, what's your reason for showing up to the party?" party?

"The journal" he states looking to the door then sitting down.

"Oh? You mean this?" she waves it

"That'd be the one"

"Well I'm afraid it's mine now" she smiles innocently

"So, do you plan on killing me like you said you'd do last time you saw me?" he sighs

"No" she tilts her head "do you want me to?" she chuckles

"Tell me Swan, why didn't you kill me when you knocked me unconscious?"

"Is anyone in there?" a knock at the door "open the door or we'll break it down"

They freeze, staring at each other with wide eyes, holding their breath. She jumps up first, making a dash for the open window, hopping onto the sill then looking back at him "you coming?" she jumps

He's right behind her, jumping to the sill. But he hesitates, it's at least three floors down and she jumped it, landing into a pile of hay at the bottom. He hasn't had training like hers, this drop could easily kill him, but the guards are almost through the door. He jumps.

/././././././././

/./././././././././

"You okay?" she smirks as he pulls himself from the haystack

She hadn't expected to see him but when she heard shouting and saw him running along a windowed corridor, she couldn't resist waiting for him. She knew exactly what room he was going to enter, even if she can't explain it. She's thought about him a couple of time since she last saw him, even when she tried thinking about anything else, her thoughts still took her to him.

"Aye I'm… ow." She laughs "do you do that often? Emma?"

"Not often… look, we should get out of here before they find us again" she sighs

"I'll follow you" he raises an eyebrow and roles his shoulder, groaning as his muscles protest. She knows what it's like jumping for the first time, a leap of faith isn't the safe, and can be painful the first few times.

They run to the locked gate and he swears, she just smirks and starts to climb. Grabbing onto the top of the brick wall when she gets to the top, the top of the gate is covered in spikes and she'd rather not get skewered. She stands on top of the wall and watches as Killian climbs the fence, rather slowly. "Come on Killian, we don't have much time left"

"Fuck" she curses as guards barge through the door at the other end of the yard "hurry up Killian" she grabs her pistol and shoots the first guard, taking him down instantly. And chucks it, pulling her other pistol and shooting another guard.

Killian finally reaches the top just as a shot hits her. She screeches at the pain of the lead in her shoulder and falls to the other side of the wall, landing harshly on the cobblestone ground. Killian jumps down next her as her vision darkens, she's had worse, but the shot mixed with the landing is pulling her from consciousness.

"Emma, love, stay with me" she hears him say as he lifts her up. But it's already too late, there's no way she can stay awake now. Her vision darkens and she falls into the abyss.

/././././././././././././.

/././././././././././././.

He saw her get hit, saw her fall and heard her scream and his heart raced with fear. Fear that she would die. He begged her to stay conscious, to not leave him, but he's not even sure she heard anything. He'd carried her away and took her to his home to get the shot from her shoulder and mend to wound as best he could.

It's been an hour and she still hasn't woken up. She hasn't got a fever but that's still not promising. He's afraid for her, she's only twenty eight. She can't lose her life now. Not when he hasn't even had the chance to know her.

He's sitting beside her, running his hand over her hair, watching her closely for any signs of consciousness and hoping to god that he doesn't lose his chance with this beautiful woman. She stirs and groans, her eyes fluttering open to look at him. She doesn't seem worried about his presence there, she's just looking at him, a small smile on her pink lips.

"Hello, love" he smiles.

"You saved me" she looks confused.

"Of course, love"

"Why?" he frowns

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I… thank you" she sighs "how long was I out?"

"Just over an hour… I was worried you weren't going to wake up" he looks away, scratching behind his ear.

"You were worried about me?" she winces as she sits up against the pillows.

"Aye" she blushes and looks around. He doesn't take his eyes off her, was so worried that he fears that if he looks away she'll disappear.

"Where are we?" she's looking around his room, her brows furrowed in adorable confusion.

"Umm… my home" he answers shyly.

She looks at him in shock, her eyebrows now raised, her green eyes questioning him as if he's gone mad. He understands the look though. To take someone who can kill him, to his home is a sign of extreme trust, that he trusts her with his life and with the knowledge of where he lives. He doesn't even care if there are repercussions of his decision, he chose to save her at his home rather than be distrustful and take her to a safe house somewhere else. He trusts her more than anyone else.

"Your home?" she chokes out

"Aye" he smiles.

"Why would you trust me like that? I mean I'm an Assassin, the Templar order's enemy"

"I already told you that I'm not letting that get in the way"

She stares at him, the shock in her eyes changing to something akin to affection but it disappears so quickly that he thinks he imagined it, he must have. She winces, the pain in her shoulder causing her discomfort as she moves.

"Love? What are you doing?" he asks as she tries to get up.

"I'm going home"

"It'll take days, weeks even for you to be able to move without immense pain, lass"

"I've had worse" she groans, collapsing back on the bed.

"Don't go Emma. You need to rest and I'm not letting you out there alone. So you either stay here or I take you to your home" she looks at him for a moment weighing her options.

"Fine I'll stay" she murmurs

"Good" he nods and gets up "rest Emma you'll need it"

She nods and closes her eyes murmuring something to herself. He leaves the room to let her sleep. He'll check-up her in an hour or so.

++++.++++

He returns to see how she is and instead of her he finds a letter and he groans, he should have known she'd pull this. He opens the letter and begins to read.

 _Killian_

 _I know you asked me to stay but I just couldn't. I'm sorry._

 _I wish I could trust you but you understand that, trust is not something people in my line of work can give away easily._

 _I know you trust me and for that reason I have written this letter._

 _I promise I will see you again and hopefully we won't be getting shot at, at the time._

 _The forever loyal- Emma swan_

He sighs at the end of the letter, reading her words over again. There's something there, he knows there is. She cared enough to write a letter and that means something. He has hope that whatever it is they have, they will figure it out soon.

He has feelings for her, he knows that much but he doesn't know how much. But he knows it's far from one sided. He will see her again.

 **Reviews?**


	6. new year's revelation

**Author's note:**

 **So I might not actually be able to write this without references to Assassin's creed characters like I'd planned. Hopefully I won't have to mention any but I have a feeling that without a character or two from the games/ books I might end up with huge writer's block.**

 **Disclaimer: very funny :(**

New Year's revelation

December 31 1716

She watches from above, Ruby beside her, watching intently at the festival goers below. They have a job of course, working together to take down a tyrant and his personal guard. The Templars are becoming more troublesome, their numbers seeming to increase across the world while the Assassins are falling. But that's going to change after tonight.

Their target is a man called Jefferson and he's a lot worse that the other Templars, because he's mad, acting on impulses alone. He's far more dangerous than any sane man.

"Are you sure he's coming here" Ruby sighs impatiently

"Of course I am" Emma mumbles "don't you trust me?"

"You know I do. It's just, it's already dark and he hasn't shown up yet… and there are some handsome men over there…" she groans

"Really?" she deadpans "what happened to Victor?" she asks, looking at her friend curiously. One night she's pawing all over him then another she's looking at random strangers.

"Ugh, I don't want to talk about it" she groans angrily

"Right… I know you're bored Ruby but right now all we can do is wait" she looks back at the people below "and…" she pauses spying a familiar face in the crowd "shit" she whispers watching Killian walking through the teeming mass of people.

"What is it Emma?"

She looks at her friend a worried look on her face. Opens her mouth to say something but she hasn't got an explanation, she can't say a thing about Killian without giving away that he's a Templar. She closes her mouth and looks to him again, he's looking around as if searching for something or someone.

"Ruby I have to go. I'll be back I promise" she leaves before her friend can protest, running long the roof until she finds a decent place to climb down.

She drops off the ledge and grabs another repeating until her feet are firmly on the ground. She sneaks through the shadows, around obstacles until she's behind a crate a few feet away from Killian. She tries to whistle him over but the voices around drown her out. She groans, she can't step out unless she wants to fuck up the whole plan. She finds a pebble nearby winding it back, her aim is precise, hitting him square in the back.

He curses and turns, his too blue eyes widening when they meet hers. He looks around and makes his way to her, pulling him harshly behind the crate when he gets close enough. She looks around first them turns her attention to him.

"What are you doing here?" she growls, her anger growing when he smirks

"Same reason as you I'd surmise, different side of the same coin. I'm here to accompany a certain mad man and you're probably here to kill him" he says raising his eyebrow

"Are you going to let us?" she frowns

"Us? There's more than you here?" he frowns

"Killian… just go, or at least stay out of our way when we strike" she sighs

"I… I can't" he looks at his feet

"Why not?"

"Because I have business with him. I'll be with him most of the night"

"Fine" she moves past him to go back up the building

"Emma…" she turns and punches him knocking him out and he collapses to the ground with a thud. She sighs and drags him around the corner, out of sight of any passer-by. She grabs a quill, ink and parchment from a nearby stall and jots a quick note leaving it in his hand.

When she returns to Ruby she looks anxious. "Emma I thought something happened to you" she cries out

"I'm fine but I've accidently moved our timetable up a bit. There isn't going to be a big opening" she sighs

"What did you do?" she glares

"I may have knocked out the person he was meeting here"

"Emma!" she puffs

"It's ok Ruby, we can still do this"

Ruby sighs angrily and looks back to the mass of people on the ground and Emma is left wondering why she knocked Killian out when all it's causing is more work.

They sit there for a while, watching the crowd below until Ruby points at the gate. Jefferson and a group of guards walk through it, already looking around for his contact. They bide what little time they have. They find an opening and they take it, jumping upon the heads of two guards each, driving their blade into their backs.

"Merde" Jefferson swears, turning away and running to the gate.

"Emma he's getting away!" Ruby shouts defending a guard's parry.

"I've got him" she shouts back already running after him. She swears if she loses him, she's blaming Killian.

/././././././././././.

/././././././././././.

He grunts as he wakes, moving his hand to rubs his eyes. He sits up slowly not willing to aggravate his already pounding head, blinking at the paper in his hand. He squints at it in the pale moon light and reads it.

 _Sorry Killian but I had to do this. You were a risk to my life and I was a risk to yours._

He sighs and looks up, out of the alley she's moved him to. He hears the mumbling of festivities and sees couples walk past the entrance oblivious of him. He stands and shakes his head, it's not as bad as the last time she knocked him out. He sighs, he has a feeling if she keeps doing that, it's going to become their thing.

He hears a scream followed by several more and his head jerks up. People are running in terror and he has a feeling he knows why. He wobbles to the opening in the alley, the hit not quite shaken off. He peeks around the corner to see Jefferson running to the gate followed by Emma and his heart races in fear, he can't let her get hurt, not again. He races after them shaking the last bit of pain to reach her.

As he leaves runs through the gate he sees what he was afraid of. She's pinned to the ground with a knife to her throat, staring up defiantly at the mad man holding the weapon. Killian pulls his pistol as he gets closer and aims, the click alerting them of his presence.

"Back away from her" he says keeping the gun trained on him.

Jefferson chuckles and pulls off her, removing the blade and standing upright, she stays down for a moment longer before getting up as well. His breath hitches when he sees the nasty gash on the other side of her face, no doubt from Jefferson's knife.

"Decided to change your allegiance then Jones?" he laughs "or is it just her?"

"I don't answer to you" he growls

"No you answer to Gold or at least you used to"

"I can't let you leave now, Jeff"

He laughs again "oh but I just thought of the exact thing that's going to fuck you over, even after my death"

"Oh, what's that?" he raises a doubtful eyebrow

"Neal" he giggles madly. Killian freezes and glances at Emma, her brow furrowed staring at him, an emotion he can't read on her face.

"What are you talking about?" she asks keeping her eyes on Killian.

"He's mad lass, just ignore him"

"Oh I may be mad but you're a murderer" he grins and before Killian can pull the trigger, Emma drives her blade into the back of his neck, severing his spine and killing him instantly.

As he drops to the ground at Emma's feet, she stares at him, anger and trepidation shining in her eyes.

"What was he talking about?" she says angrily, pointing at the corpse on the ground.

"Nothing love, he was insane, jabbering on…"

"No you're lying. You know exactly what he was saying, that's why you were about to take the shot. I could see it. What was he talking about?"

"I… I was doing what I was told Emma" he takes a step forward and she puts her hand up in warning not to come closer.

"You killed Neal" she backs up

"Yes" he whispers

"I should have known" she backs up further. "You're just another one of them"

"Emma…" he reaches out

"No Killian… this time I will keep my promise." She sighs "this time if I see you again. I will kill you" she runs, sprinting away down the street.

"Emma!" he shouts.

His chest hurts. He knew if she found out he'd lose her completely and it's happened, now he'll never get the chance. And it's his fault. He's not even going to try and blame Jefferson because he knows it was his fault. He was the reason Neal is now dead. He followed his orders like the good little soldier and now his heart is shattered.

He's lost his chance, his hope, his heart and his chance at love. Now all he has is the Templars and he doesn't really give a shit about them. He returns home, collapses in his bed and for the first time since his brother's death, he breaks down. The pain in his chest too much to bear.

/./././././././././.

/./././././././././.

Her heart hurts but she doesn't understand why. Killian had killed Neal and was willing to kill to keep that a secret. By all intents and purposes she should hate him for killing one of her own. But she doesn't. The pain she's feeling is at the thought of never seeing him again.

Part of her doesn't want to, but her heart is telling her something else. But she's not sure what it's saying. She hopes though that she never sees him because she will follow through with her threat. And she really doesn't want to.

She sighs tumbling onto her bed. The pain in her heart won't go away. So she thinks that maybe she can sleep it off. She closes her eyes and makes herself comfortable. She tosses and turns for a few hours, her mind racing with thoughts and memories, before exhaustion finally pulls her under in the early hours before dawn.

 **The pain! My heart hurt as I wrote this I hope you all know that… reviews? :)**


	7. not the prettiest business

**Author's note:**

 **Anything in another language is purely google translate**

 **Disclaimer: Désolé mais non.**

Not the prettiest business

February 15 1717

He hasn't seen her in over a month and the pain at the loss hasn't lessoned. He's tried numbing it with alcohol but it's stopped working, he can't erase Emma from his mind and it's slowly killing him. The only way he can stop this ache in his chest is to see her and try to fix what he broke.

As he steps out of the he groans. He doesn't want to be here but Grandmaster Gold had summoned him for 'important business', and he couldn't refuse. He walks up the steps and knocks on the door, waiting for the ponce of a butler to answer the door, he always takes his sweet bloody time. When the door finally opens he's greeted by the butler, Albert spencer and Mr Gold.

"About time" Spencer sneers as Killian steps over the threshold.

"Good to see you too Al" he rolls his eyes "why was I asked to be here?"

"As you know, we've yet to find an interrogator" Gold begins "and since you worked closely with Felix, I thought you could replace him"

"Me?"

"Yes. Now are you up for the job or should we dispose of you and get someone else" he growls

"Aye. I can do it" he murmurs scrubbing his hand over his stubble.

"Good" Spencer pipes up "then you already have business. I caught an Assassin recently as she tried to break into the mansion"

"She?" he stares at Spencer, hoping it's not who he thinks it is.

"Indeed. She's in the drawing room, probably still unconscious. She put up quite the fight" he laughs.

"Right, well I'll go see to her then shall I?" he murmurs heading for the second floor, where the drawing room is.

"Oh and Jones… no need to be kind" Spencer smirks

He ignores him and continues, finding the door a moment later. His breath catches when he sees her, she's facing the other way but he knows it's her. Her blond hair falling down her back, the tips stained red with blood.

"No need to stand on ceremony mate" she murmurs, staring into the flames in front of her.

"I'm not going to hurt you Emma" he moves toward her, kneeling beside her to undo the bindings around her wrists

"Killian?" her brow furrows "what are you doing here?"

"They asked me to replace Felix…" he pauses as she gasps and places her freed hand on her side "you okay love?" he frowns

"Just a cracked rib, I'm fine" she frowns "even after my threat you're still freeing me?"

"You really think I'd let you die, love?"

"Giving our history, can you blame me for being uncertain" she smirks

He continues to untie her wrists and feet rubbing the rope burns gently to soothe them. It's an affectionate gesture that she doesn't seem comfortable with, staring at him with a furrowed brow. He studies her face for a moment noticing a scar on her eyebrow left behind by her encounter with Jefferson and fresh cut on her lip from Spencer. He sighs and pulls himself up, helping her to stand with him.

"We're going to need to get out of here quickly" he says as she grabs her wrist blades and sword.

"Preferably without an altercation" she murmurs pressing her hand to her side again.

"Aye… just please don't decide to knock me out"

"I have a feeling that if I knock you out in the guise of escaping they'll just kill you for incompetence" she sighs "no, it doesn't matter how we play it you're going to end up dead"

"So you're planning to kill me as soon as we escape then?"

"No. I was suggesting you get the hell away from them as fast as possible"

"Can I join you?" he questions, hoping she won't just let him fend for himself.

"You'd have to earn that Killian… but you can stay in one of the safe houses"

"Well we should probably get going then"

"Yeah"

She sighs and makes for the door, checking the hall is clear and continuing. He stays close behind the whole time, keeping his eyes on her the whole time.

/././././././././././././.

/./././././././././././.

They're sitting in the safe house on the other side to the mansion, she sent a messenger with a letter for Dr Whale now all they have to do is wait till he arrives. They made it out without a problem, didn't come across a single guard the whole way out. Her side hurts, a few cracked ribs may not be much but they are painful.

"Are you okay love?" Killian asks, hand her a glass of water. He hasn't left her side since they left the mansion and it's starting to irk her, especially since it's breaking her concentration.

"Can you please stop asking that, I'm trying to concentrate on this not hurting and I can't do that if you keep asking questions when you know the answer is no" she grumbles.

"Sorry, love" he sighs, casting his eyes downward.

They hear the front door slam, and Killian tenses.

"Hello?" victor yells

"In here Victor" she shouts back, gasping when it puts pressure on her side.

"Emma? Are you okay? I got a message that said I saw needed" he says moving to her side

"Cracked a rib on a job" she chuckles hurting her side

"That sounds like you" he sighs "Ruby's been worried about you. She said you haven't been to the sanctuary in a while" he says ignoring Killian.

"What is up with you too?" she smiles "never mind…"

"Well I'm not going to be able to tend to your ribs with your robes still on Emma" he says dryly. She sighs and glares at him and she unbuckles her sashes. She glances at Killian, seeing his eyes widen as he realises what she has to do, then he turns his back to them. It's not the first time she's had to remove her robes to get treatment, she's not fond of it, but she's gotten used to it over the years.

"You okay there Killian?" she grins "you seem a bit flustered"

"I'm fine" he chokes out, still looking away. Victor raises an eyebrow and looks between them, shaking his head before he checks on her side and begins to wrap a bandage around her. He's not leering like he normally would, Ruby must have him wrapped her finger.

She laughs a little at him, causing her side to seize. She groans loudly and Killian looks out of the corner of his eye at her, a worried expression on his handsome features. "You should laugh when you're being patched up Emma" Victor says continuing to roll the bandage around her.

"Yes dad" she replies sarcastically

"How is he by the way" he asks pinning the bandage in place

"Oh you know how my adopted father is. He doesn't check in, I haven't heard from him in months. Not since he went to America" she sighs

"Yes well the Grandmaster is a busy man…"

"In America though?" she groans, re- donning her robes.

"You shouldn't do anything for a few weeks, rest up ok?" he says ignoring her complaint.

"Of course Doctor. Give Ruby my best" she calls after him.

Killian sits next to her and she faces him with a smirk. He's staring at her, confusion written across his face from the words she's exchanged with Victor.

"Adopted father?" his brow furrows

"Yeah my parents died when I was five" he frowns "the Grandmaster adopted me, trained me and I grew up as an Assassin"

"I'm sorry"

"I don't need pity Killian" she sighs. He looks at her imploringly, she can see him considering something.

"I lost my brother some years ago" he says suddenly "He was in the royal navy and was sent on a suicide mission, he was Captain of his own ship and I was his Lieutenant… he died in my arms"

She stares at him, not saying a word as his eyes well up with unshed tears. "I lost my mother long before that and my father just left without a word. Liam was all I had and when he died… long story short I joined the Templars, when I found out they had plans to get rid of the king and replace him with someone better"

She doesn't have any idea what to say. She doesn't know the loss of family that well, she can hardly remember anything about her parents, she wouldn't even have known about it if she wasn't told by someone else when she got older. And she wasn't alone after her parents died, she had the brotherhood. From the sounds of it, he had nothing.

She puts her hand over his and smiles softly at him, unable to do anything else to show she understands. He looks at her with something akin to hope in his sea blue eyes and she looks away, she doesn't want to see what she's seeing in his eyes. It's a dangerous business being an Assassin and she doesn't want a bond like that when there's a risk that one of them won't return one day.

She feels him shift beside her and she turns to look at him, just in time for his hand to go to her cheek and his lips to press to hers. She doesn't stop him, because no matter how much of a risk she knows it is, she can't deny the feeling curling low in her gut. Her hand goes to his hair as she returns the kiss fiercely, a passion burning between them.

Before the he has the chance to deepen the kiss further she pulls back and stands, the sudden movement sending pain shooting up her side. He stares up at her in confusion, his lips pick and swollen from the ferocity of their kiss.

She shakes her head and leaves the room, not willing to look back at the man she's left there. She shouldn't have let that happen, she doesn't want either of them to get hurt if the other doesn't return one day. She lays on the bed in the room she's allocated as hers and tries to remove the last twenty minutes from her memory to no avail.

She sighs and closes her eyes allowing herself to fall asleep even with the whirl of thoughts in her head.

/././././././././././

/././././././././././

His head is spinning and his lips are tingling. He doesn't understand why she broke the kiss but he saw in her eyes something he couldn't describe. But there's a passion between them and he knows there's more, he just has to find a way to bring it out, to expose whatever it is. He knows what it is now all he has to do is make her see it.

He feels it in his heart, in his blood, hell he can feel it in his pants. His body is humming and he understands what he's been feeling for months now. Love. He's in love with her and he has been for a while, he just didn't recognise it.

He smiles to himself as he walks to his room, falling onto his bed as soon as he enters. He thinks of the kiss they'd shared, touching his fingers to his lips remembering the passion she bestowed. He closes his eyes and the last thought before drifting off is the press of her lips to his.

 **First kiss! :P reviews? I hope you're all enjoying this :)**


	8. this short time

**Author's note:**

 **Ok so I've not made Emma sluty, don't see anything that way. She's confident with her body, even with the scars, and is willing to be nude when the time demands it just like when Victor was bandaging her side. Okay? And growing up how she did, within the brotherhood, someone seeing her nude isn't going to affect her when she kills people for a living, gotta allow for au personality changes. It's gonna happen again btw…**

 **Disclaimer: *bops nose* no I don't ;)**

This short time

February 18 1717

She's been avoiding him and it's driving him mad, even stuck in this house she's managed to move around him without him noticing. He's barely seen here over the last three days, there have been points that he thought she's just left without a word, but then she'd show up as if sensing his discomfort. She'd just smile at him and he'd instantly relax, but then she'd disappear into the house once more and the tension would creep back in.

He roles his shoulders and stands, placing his book on the end table as he goes. He's been tense and worried about Emma constantly, it's left his muscles in knots. There's a bath in the house he found when he had a look around, and that could be just the thing to ease the stress. He hasn't used it yet, only used the washbasin in his room.

He barely has time to register the scent of fire before the door opens and Emma's head pops out. She's smiling widely as he stares at her like a stunned fish.

"Perfect timing" she grins

"For what?" he gulps, looking at her bare shoulder knowing there's nothing covering her.

"I need a hand with the bandage. I'd do it myself but that would negate what Victor told me to do when he visited yesterday" his eyes widen and his heart stutters. Is she trying to kill him?

"Uh… of course lass" he stutters. She grins at him, mischief flaring in her emerald eyes, and steps back into the room leaving the door open for him to step in. He takes a deep breath, his heart racing in his chest as he steps into the room. It's filled with steam and smoke, the fire pit that heats the water sitting on the far wall.

She's facing away when he looks at her, her hair pushed to her side as she stands waiting. She's not bothered covering herself, the only thing covering anything is the bandages and all they're covering is the bruise on her side. He steps toward her and unpins it, beginning to unravel it, his hands brushing against her back and sides as he passes it around her. Her hand taking it and passing it back on the other side.

"How did you get these scars?" he asks looking at the raised lines zigzagging her back. She sighs and looks down, pausing her movements.

"Let's just say the other day wasn't the first time I've been captured during a job"

"You were tortured?" he frowns running his fingers along a scar.

"Yeah" she sighs, shifting awkwardly on the spot "can we just…" she hands the end back around.

"Of course love" he nods

It goes around her twice more and drops into his hand. He walks out, before she can say anything, and decides to wait till later for his bath. He didn't realise just how damaged she was, she had said after she was shot that she's had worse, even said it after the cracked rib. But the thought of her being tortured, screaming in agony as blades slice her skin, makes his guts churn.

He's never had to endure such things, sure he has scars, but not from torture. He scrubs his hand over his face and pushes himself forward, going back to the sitting room. He knows she'll need help putting the bandage back around her so he waits nearby, listening for when she calls. His mind is fogged with thoughts of the scars covering her back and what terrible story could be behind each.

/././././././././././.

/././././././././././.

She doesn't care that he saw them, the marks left behind by pain. They are a part of who she is, what she is. She never gave in to the pain, held her head high and waited for one of the others to save her.

The first time she was captured she was eighteen, not her first job and not her first scars, but by far the most painful. She'd screamed as the searing pain clawed through her skin. But her spirit never broke, she held strong as her flesh was torn to ribbons on her back, as her fingers were broken. She came out of it and all the other attempts to break her stronger than ever.

She rubs her soap over her skin and through her hair, the rose scent filling her nose as it melts into the water. She sighs scrubbing the soap though her hair a bit more, then submerging under the water to rinse it off. Grabbing a towel she gets out of the tub and dries herself off, towelling her hair before moving to the door. She calls Killian back to help put the bandage back and finishes drying off.

He doesn't bother to knock, just walks in and grabs the bandage. He moves toward her, the look in his eyes igniting a flame between her legs as he moves around her. He's closer than necessary, rubbing a hand down her arm as he moves behind her, and she can't help but wonder what happened in his head between helping her get the bandage off and now. Sure she was teasing him in her own way, just walking around naked. She had actually been planning to go find him when he appeared at the door as she opened it.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine love" he says wrapping the bandage around her, not even getting her to help this time. His hand brushes against her breast and her breath hitches.

"What are you doing?" she murmurs

"Helping" he smirks

"Please hurry up, I have places to be" she groans, ignoring the pull toward him.

"Places to be? You're going somewhere?"

"Yeah I have a couple of things to do. You can come with me if you want" she smiles, turning her head so he can see it. She finds herself hoping he decides to go with her.

"Aye I think I will" he smiles back. She has a feeling he's thinking about keeping her safe during their trip.

"Okay… but you'll have to wait at the coffee house near the third place, can't let you in there"

"Why not?"

"It's the sanctuary… anyway I'll need to buy some flowers, then go to the cemetery then there" she says as he pins the bandage to her side.

"Cemetery?"

"You really need to learn not to ask so many questions" she nudges him and grabs her robes, pulling them over her head.

"Ah well, the Templar motto _is_ 'may the father of understanding guide us' and to understand, first you must pose a question"

"You're not a Templar anymore Killian" she shakes her head, tightening the straps around her "I suggest you stop acting like one"

"I was just saying I want to get to know you Emma, that's all" he lowers his head

"Yes well… I was going to tell you some stories on the way there" she doesn't know why but she want him to know her, probably as much as he does.

"Then let's get going"

She pulls up her hood and they leave, Killian holding the door for her to walk past. She knows it's a bad idea to take him along but she's never visited her parents alone and she's not about to start now just because the person she's always gone there with is in America.

/./././././././.

/./././././././.

He listened the entire time as they walked to the cemetery. She told him of times when she was younger, when she hurt herself during training. She mentioned times when she was still a child at the age of eight, when she didn't cry when she cut her finger like so many children that age still would. With each tale she tells he realises more and more that she grew up too fast, that her childhood was taken the moment her parents died.

She's silent as they walk into the cemetery, two roses in her hand as they walk past the graves. He remembered soon after asking that the people she was visiting here were her parents, he felt ashamed asking when he should have just known.

He stands to the side as she kneels down to place the roses on the grave, the tombstone above saying 'David and Mary Margaret Nolan 1663 – 1694'.

"I've always been told they loved each other so much that they'd do anything for each other" she sighs "even died together…"

"How did you escape?" he asks carefully

"My father, my adopted father, always said that my father put me outside to safety then ran straight back into the flames to save my mother and never came back out…" she wipes a tear, standing up "I don't remember much"

He wants to reach out to her, to hold her, but he's not sure it'll be welcome. He looks into her eyes, silently pleading for her to let him hold her. As if knowing what he was thinking she just nods as another tear falls down and he steps toward her, pulling her into his arms. He loves her and he'll be damned if he's going to let her suffer.

They stand there for a moment, just holding each other before she pulls away, wiping away another tear.

"We should get going"

"Aye" he smiles sadly "I'll follow you"

They leave the cemetery behind and make their way along the streets and alleys until the coffee house where she leaves him. He sits down and lets his mind wander as he waits…

 **Reviews? Please?**


	9. the future to come

**Author's note:**

 **Ok so the reason I put Emma's adopted father in America was because I was lost on who he could be (not the best) but I've finally chosen who he can be so he might be in this chapter or one in the near future.**

 **Disclaimer: bip bop bam. No? Damn!**

The future to come

February 18 1717- continued

She's been gone for almost an hour and he's starting to worry. She said she was going somewhere safe and that she wouldn't be long, but an hour is long and the only reason the time would have been extended would be danger.

Killian scans the crowd around the coffee house, trying to remain calm as he searches for her blond hair or white hood. His heart is racing, there is something off, and he can sense it.

"Well, well, and Mr Gold thought you'd left the country" a woman says behind him. He grimaces and looks up at her. Her painted lips are twisted into a growling sneer as she stares him down. Four guards stand behind her, their hands on the hilts of their sword, sizing him up.

"Regina… wonderful" he sighs, keeping his eyes on her as she circles the table to sit down, her black dress swishing around her as she moves. Her dark hair curling down the side of her head and her red Templar cross necklace standing out on her chest. He had a feeling that something very bad was going to happen, and now that he knows she's here, he's figured out why.

"I'm so glad I was right" she laughs "you _were_ dumb enough to stay in England" she taunts, grinning at him as if she's already won.

"Well you know me, I'm not one to run away from a fight" he smirks, hiding his worry for Emma behind a façade of nonchalance.

"You think I don't know? Everyone knows why you betrayed us. The Assassin that Spencer captured. He said you were acting odd as soon as you found out she was there, and then suddenly you both disappear" she smirks "not hard to put two and two together, dear"

"I don't know what you're talking about" he says, assessing his options for escape. He can't try the exit behind him because the guards are standing there, can't make a mad dash of the front door because he'll undoubtedly get shot in the back. He doesn't really want to run but he needs to make sure Emma is alright, which is why he's not planning to fight his way out.

"You can't escape" she smiles coldly "I've made sure of it"

"Is that so?" he hears a click and turns. A pistol is pointed at his head and behind it are the cold merciless eyes of Lilith, another Templar, known for her ability to kill without blinking an eye. He turns back to Regina as she cackles at the unfortunate situation she's put him in.

"Like I said no escape. So I have a question, where are the Assassins hiding?" Regina sneers

"I've no clue" he shrugs. There's a flash of movement on the building across where he's sitting and he stops himself from looking directly at it. He has a feeling he knows exactly what the movement was. "I don't know why you think I'd have any idea where they are. I've only met the one and I haven't seen her since" he smirks, a new level of confidence rising in his chest. He knows he will not be the one to die this day.

"You're lying" she shouts "tell me where they…"

She's cut off by a crack and a lead piece flying past them into Lilith. She falls, her pistol hitting the ground moments before she does. He jumps to his feet and looks to the roof where he saw the movement, it's Emma with a rifle in her hands and a puff of smoke rising from it.

He can see Regina's face redden with rage, the smug look wiping off her face as her guards behind him also fall over dead. He doesn't know who killed them but he doesn't really care, the look of fear and anger on Regina's face at her failure, amusing him far more than to question it.

"Well it's seems you've lost that upper hand" he taunts as two unknown Assassins flank her.

"I will get you back for this one Jones" she growls, struggling against the Assassins binding her.

"I rather think not" he smirks.

The Assassins drag her away and he looks back at Emma, still on the roof. But now she's not alone.

/./././././././.

/./././././././.

She saw the Templars in the area, walking toward the coffee house where she left Killian. She knew she wouldn't have been able to get to him before they did, so she did the next best thing. She got the help of Robin and Ruby and set up a last minute ambush.

They'd snuck through the back while she took up a decent vantage point on the roof, ready to take a shot that'd give them their best chance of taking them all out. She had one shot and she chose the biggest threat to Killian. If she chose anyone else he would have most certainly ended up dead.

"Nice shot" a familiar voice sound from behind her.

"I had a great teacher" she smiles, keeping her eyes on what's going on in the coffee house. "I'm glad you're back, brother"

"Ah so I'm back to being your brother again? I really wish I understood your moods Emma. Last time I saw you I'm fairly sure you were planning my demise"

"It was hardly my fault your father adopted me, August and I wasn't _planning_ to kill you. I already did that a long time ago… Where is he, our shared father?" she sighs. She remembers the days growing up alongside August, training with him. She didn't have any siblings before her parents died, so August has always been her brother, even if he isn't really her brother.

He chuckles and steps up beside her "Back at the sanctuary. Victor had mentioned your sudden need for help and I came to check on you, he had business to do so he stayed. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I needed help for his sake" she says nodding toward Killian. He's watching them from the doorway, his head tilted in curiosity.

"And who is he?"

"Killian. An ex Templar. He saved my life" she rolls her shoulders, wincing as her still sore ribs shift with the movement.

"What's wrong with your side?" he eyes her suspiciously.

"Cracked some ribs. Like I said he saved my life" she sighs "if he hadn't have been there, it would have been a lot worse"

"When did he realise the error of the Templar ways?"

"The day he saved my life, I've known him for a while though"

He nods thoughtfully "do you trust him?"

"I trust him enough" she steps to the edge of the roof, looking down at thinning crowd on the street, people fleeing after the shot rang out. She steps off, grabbing the ledge and dropping again, moving slowly until her feet are planted on the cobble stone pavement.

"Are you okay?" she asks as she crosses the near empty street, pressing her hand to her side.

"Aye" Killian steps toward her, his gaze moving from her side to her lips and up to her eyes.

"We should get out of here before news gets to any guards" she shifts on the spot, glancing down the street, checking to see if there were any already down the street. Her side is throbbing painfully, the kick of the rifle and climbing down the building has irritated the healing bones and she knows that if they are forced to fight, she isn't going to be able.

"Sounds like a plan" he smirks looking around the street, waiting for her to lead.

"Since we just gained ourselves a prisoner to interrogate and I'm going to need Victor to check my side again, we're going to the sanctuary" she sighs, walking back toward the sanctuary down the road.

"I thought you weren't letting me in there" he keeps pace with her, watching her as they walk toward the alleyway that leads to the underground and into the sanctuary.

"I wasn't but an incident with the ' _Evil Queen'_ means I have to" she sighs

"The Evil Queen?" he snickers, a bemused look on his face.

"It's what Ruby started calling Regina Mills after she had an entire town outside of London slaughtered"

He nods "I remember that. Apparently she did it to kill an Assassin living in the town… of course I didn't find out about it until two months later, I was in the West Indies at the time"

"I was being held captive and tortured" she says breezily. They got what was coming for them and she was freed no worse for ware, strolling out of the basement she was held in with her head held high and the corpses of her captures at her feet. August had saved her then, other times it's been Ruby or Robin, but she realised fairly early on that she's just a bit too reckless.

She see Killian tense beside her, as if he's more affected by her past than she is. "Sorry, love" he whispers, lowering his head as they turn the corner.

"It's fine I was saved two days later by…"

"So you finally caught up"

"Him" she says pointing at August by the door. "You're always so impatient" she rolls her eyes at him.

"And you brought your friend. August, Emma's brother" he says offering his hand to Killian. Killian looks at Emma with a raised eyebrow and takes his hand, shaking it firmly before letting go.

"I'd give you my name but I have a feeling you already know it"

"Yes well it happens" he shrugs "come Emma we have much to discuss and very little time to do so"

She nods and follows August through the door, Killian walking right behind her as they make their way through the small maze that leads to the heart of her home. The sanctuary has always been home for her, safe and secure, no threat able to enter.

Somehow it feels even safer with Killian just feet away. She hopes that her adopted father, Grandmaster Marco, will allow him to join the brotherhood. Apart of her still doesn't trust him, he killed Neal, she can't just forgive that no matter how much she disliked him.

/././././././././././././

/././././././././././.

He's followed her everywhere within this place she calls sanctuary, but honestly he can't see it. All he can see is a non-fortified mansion that's underground, just a normal building. Maybe there are things that he can't see that makes it this 'sanctuary' they all believe it to be.

Her 'brother' had wandered off and left them to go talk to the physician Dr Whale. He's not allowed to wander the sanctuary alone, Emma's brother had said, so he's decided to continue following her around.

"Hey Victor" she says as they enter the apothecary "I need you to check my ribs"

He stands by the door as she moves further into the room. Victor gestures for her to take a seat and remove anything that's going to be a problem, and continues what he was doing.

"So what did you do that meant you'd come to me again. Let me guess, the help you needed from Ruby and Robin ended with a hit to the side"

"No" she smirks at him "the kick from a rifle and climbing down a building shifted the area"

"Ah, the shock of sudden jolts" he says moving over to her "does it hurt or is it mere discomfort?" he starts to unravel the bandage around her side.

Killian stares at the floor, trying to be the gentleman he is, but the image from earlier that day flashes before his. His fingers tingle from where they had swept under her breast that morning, the memory of pressing himself against her for a moment before winding the bandage around her, setting his blood on fire.

He's trying to be a gentleman, but try as he might, his body has other ideas. He groans silently, cursing himself for conjuring the images of a naked Emma in the presence of both her and a man who's practically a stranger.

"There you're fine, it was just the bandage moving against the bruise" he hears the Doctor say, snapping him out of his trance.

"Okay, well I have to go speak with my father. Thanks for the check-up Doc" she smiles, replacing her clothes. "Come on Killian" she walks past him and he follows wordlessly, wondering how meeting her father the Grandmaster of the Assassins is going to end.

+.+.+.+.+

The Grandmaster has let him in reluctantly. They'd spent the better part of two hours discussing his entry into the brotherhood, and Emma had backed him the entire time. She believes in him, had said so herself during the conversation, and he's very grateful for that because it was no easy feat to accomplish.

The night air is crisp and cool, as they walk alone along the streets, they decided to go back to the safe house rather than find a room for him to stay in the sanctuary. She's been quiet so far just walking next to him, a look that suggests she's deep in thought, on her face.

"Emma, love, are you okay?" he asks as they near the safe house.

"I'm fine, just tired" she mumbles.

"Aye it's been a rather long day" they walk up the few steps and she unlocks the door with a yawn. He watches her as she steps over the threshold into the dark house. It's hard to believe it it's only been three days since he saved her from the clutches of Mr Gold and Albert Spencer.

"I'm going to bed" she murmurs walking toward the stairs to the second floor.

"Emma" he follows her.

"Hmmm?" he grabs her arm and turns her, pressing his lips against hers. She's stunned by the abruptness of the kiss, but he's been yearning to do that for the last three days since the first time he'd kissed her.

She's rigid against him for a moment then gives into the kiss, her hands going to the lapels of his coat as she returns the kiss fiercely. He pulls her closer to him gently, trying not to hurt her as his passion for her overwhelms him.

She gasps, breaking the kiss, as he rolls his hips lightly against hers, seeking friction. The sudden tightness of his pants almost painful as his blood rushes south.

"Don't do that again, Killian" she whispers against his lips, her forehead pressed against his.

"Why?" his heart drops, he felt it in her kiss, she wants what he wants.

"Because it will only end in tragedy" she steps away from him and turns, leaving him alone in the hallway without another word.

He knows that she's wrong, he wants to prove to her that she's wrong. It will not end in tragedy, it can't, he's sure there's a way he can prove it. His feelings have driven him this far, he just needs to find a way to show her she feels the same without losing her.

 **Reviews?**


	10. safety and peace

**Author's note:**

 **This has been such fun to write :) haven't gotten to the reason for the rating yet but I'm sure it'll show up soon ;)**

 **Disclaimer: *sits in corner and whispers* no I don't**

Safety and peace

March 29 1717

He hasn't seen Emma in a little over two weeks. She left London to do a job in Wales and hasn't returned. He knows he shouldn't worry, she's a grown woman and an Assassin, completely capable of taking care of herself and she said that the job may take a few weeks. That doesn't stop this feeling as if something bad will happen to her while she's gone.

He hadn't stopped thinking about what she had said after he kissed her and he is certain he will find a way to prove that it won't end in tragedy.

She spent weeks resting until her side was healed enough to work, but she'd been avoiding the whole time, just like those first three days in February. He'd spent the time training, they've forced him into doing all these ridicules tests, all to prove loyalty the brotherhood. He's the only one aware that it's not the brotherhood he's loyal to, it's Emma.

A knock on the door sounds out through the house and Killian drops his book on the end table, getting up to answer it. He hopes that maybe it's Emma - that she's finally returned from her mission in Bristol – but he also knows that it could be her brother or her father or any number of other Assassins that have to teach him stuff he doesn't give a damn about.

He opens the door and is greeted by Emma's father and brother- Marco and August – both dressed for a formal occasion, a large box in the younger man's hands. "Evening gentlemen" he says bluntly "what do you want"

Marco scowls and steps over the threshold, August shrugging as he steps past, seemingly unaware of his father's disdain. August has been indifferent to Killian over the last few weeks, in fact they've gotten along fairly well, only when Emma was around of course.

"We need to do a job" the bolding man starts, staring at Killian with distrust "Isaac Heller. I'm sure you now him"

"Aye bloody ponce owes me money" he shrugs "what of him?"

"He's been causing trouble and we need you to take care of it" August says putting his hand on his father's shoulder to restrain him, anger boiling behind the bolding man's eyes.

"Why me?"

"Because Emma's away and you're the only other person who knows anything about him" his father growls. What made the Grandmaster of the Assassins hate him so much Killian doesn't know, but it's best not to get any further onto his bad side.

"Fine I'll do it"

"Good" August points to the box he'd placed on the table "you'll need those"

Killian frowns, moving over to the wooden box sitting on the table. He runs his fingers over the Assassin's symbol engraved atop the box and opens the lid. Inside sit the official Assassin's robes. The hood and main pieces of the robes are black, though down the back there are two dark red strips running to the tail of the main coat from the shoulders. The pants are simple black leather as well as the shoes. In the side of the box there's a smaller one, also engraved with the symbol. He already has a pretty good idea what's in it but picks it up and opens it anyway. Sure enough sitting within the smaller box are the infamous hidden blades of the Assassin's brotherhood.

"Emma asked for them to be made for you before she left. She believes you've earned them, you'd better not prove her wrong" August says, his voice gentle but sharp with warning.

"I don't plan on letting her down"

"Good and good luck" he nods and they bid him farewell, walking out of the house and slamming the door behind them, leaving him alone once more.

He cleans himself up adorns his new attire and weaponry and leaves the empty house for the London streets. He has a job to do and to prove that Emma's faith was not misplaced he will do it with pride.

/./././././././.

/./././././././

She's been in this blasted town for two weeks and nothing, no sign of this Zelena Mills. 'The Evil Queen' mentioned her sister after quite a bit of work, saying she hated her sister so she'd give away her name. Obviously Regina has a weak constitution, she started squawking the moment the tiniest bit of real pressure was placed on her, although she might have only ratted on her sister because of her dislike for her.

"Will still hasn't returned" Elsa says, walking back into the drawing room "I'm starting to worry"

Elsa and Will are two of the local Assassins in Bristol. Elsa and her younger sister Anna were orphaned when she was twenty, their parents lost at sea on a trip to America, and she joined the brotherhood as an informant of sorts to keep a roof over their heads. She worries easily for an Assassin, is quick to assume the worst when someone takes too long.

Will Scarlet on the other hand is an adept thief and a brave if troublesome man, who's been in the brotherhood for about as long as Emma. Unlike Emma though, he's never been caught, as slippery as an eel and as deadly as any other Assassin in the order. He's close to Robin, almost like brothers, half the time they do their jobs together.

"Will's fine Elsa you've no need to worry about him, if he's good at anything it's getting out of sticky situations" Emma sighs looking up at her friend. She's pacing the room, back and forth and it's making Emma a little motion sick.

"How do you know he's not been captured?"

"We both know Will and we both know he's never been caught before. His luck isn't going to change now" her friend seems to accept her words if how she relaxed is any indication.

"I know I'm sorry, it's just since the news of Neal's death reached us I've been a bit more worried about… everything"

"Yeah, his death hit everyone pretty hard… you'd think I'd have been the one most effected, since I was lucky to have survived the situation" she laughs half-heartedly. She knows that the only reason she lived through that was because of Killian, because he spared her. She knows it was because of curiosity at the time, but now he's kissed her twice she's starting to see exactly what type of curiosity it was. She can't deny that she feels it too, but she's not willing to act on it.

"That must've been horrible to witness" he friend she gasps.

"Actually I was unconscious so I didn't see it" she murmurs

"Then how did you survive?"

"Whoever it was…" she hasn't told anyone that it was Killian "they spared me"

Before Elsa can say another word Will charges in, gasping for breath with his hands on his knees. "Bloody… hell" he pants out, trying to pull air into his lungs.

"What happened?" she murmurs, feeling her heart start to race with worry that he might have been followed.

"Well ya see, Zelena's insane…" he chuckles dryly "'nd tried to kill me the moment she saw me. Would 'ave had better luck if Robin was there"

"Well he wasn't. What did you find?" she snaps, looking out the window to see if he was followed. There's none wandering the street that look out of sorts, mostly merchants and the common worker.

"She's been livin' in tha' tavern near the docks, she got 'er guards disguised as patrons o' tha joint" he glances at Elsa standing to the side listening "wasn't easy getting outta the place"

"Is that it?" he nods "that's not much what if she's gone by the time I get there?"

"At least it's something Emma" Elsa says, her tone reassuring and calm.

"Yeah, it doesn't make my job any easier but it's something" she sighs "I'll be back later" the stress of this job hasn't lessened and she's worried. He may be healed enough to do a job, but the reason Will was sent out was to make it easier so she wouldn't be risking too much.

"Be careful Emma" is the last thing she hears before she's out of the small town house and onto the street, pursuing the coble stone pavement toward the tavern.

Her side still hurts but not enough to hinder her, it's the reason she needed the risk lowered, because the risk factor was already rather high with her side in this condition. She continues along the road until the tavern's in sight, pausing some distance away to come up with a plan.

The sun is setting, its golden glow shimmering across the waves, leaving a sheen of white light across the docks. It'd be blinding if the dock was facing it. She walks to the tavern, peeking into the windows to assess numbers. There's ten patrons inside, at least six of them look suspiciously sober, sitting apart from each other, looking around the tavern alert. They're the guards no doubt, they have mugs in front of them but they're empty from what she can see through the fogged window.

She wonders for a moment, before stepping through the doorway, if she'll ever see Killian again. If this ends how she fear it will, than that would not happen, and she will be proven right at the cost of his heart. She thinks that maybe – maybe if neither of them had enemies, if they were just normal people unaware of the war being waged around them, if they met under different circumstances than things could have been different between them.

She draws her sword and steps through the door. There's no point in pretending she's someone else, they'll recognise her clothes and the symbol she wears around her neck. Four of the six men she suspected to be guards stood, drawing their swords as soon as they saw her and the other patrons jumped from their seats and made for the door. She holds her head high and defends from the first attack, running a burly man though before he has a chance to try again. Her heart is racing, fear trickling down her spine, she will not show it but not for her life. She's afraid that she'll never see Killian again.

She finds a strength inside her, an erg fight just so she can see Killian again. She slays the rest in moments, the floor stained with their blood as the last to fall at her blade gasps his last, choking on his blood. Stepping over the fresh corpses strewn across the floor, she makes her way to the stairs that lead to the rooms, paying no mind to the stench of blood rising through the building.

Her blood is humming with adrenaline, the rush of battle warming her body as she walks to the room. The door is standing wide open and she can see Zelena sitting at the desk in the room, writing something on a piece of paper in front of her.

"Would you be kind enough to deliver this to my sister" the woman says, not turning to face Emma at the doorway.

"Why should I?" she says walking further into the room. She stares at the back of her target, keeping wary of her surroundings in case of a surprize attack.

"Well if you don't, all those moral apostles your kind stand for will mean nothing" she cackles, turning in her seat to face Emma "or are you not as high and mighty as the others believe they are"

"I'll deliver your message but you're not leaving this room" she ejects her hidden blade.

Zelena laughs again, glancing at the blade with a smile "oh I don't doubt that dear. But may I ask you a question before you do the deed?" Emma nods warily keeping her eyes on Zelena.

"What did you do to convince Jones to betray us?"

"I didn't do anything. He merely saw the error of his ways" she says stepping toward Zelena, blade ready.

"Oh I doubt that" Zelena laughs one final time before Emma drives her blade in her throat. She gurgles up blood as she slips from her seat and onto the floor. Emma grabs the letter she promised to deliver and leaves, not caring for the mess she'd left behind. She'll leave for London in the morning.

/./././././././.

/././././././.

It took him three hours of asking around to find where Isaac had been hiding. It seems he knows he's being hunted, if the fact he's not where he normally is and that the place he is, is covered in guards, is any indication.

He sneaks around the perimeter, wary of anyone he sees, staying to the shadows as best he can. There's at least twenty guys inside and eight out, an interesting and very smart tactic.

"Need a hand?" a voice sounds quietly behind him

"Who are you?" Killian Asks as the man ducks down beside him against the wall.

"Graham" he smiles "I'm a friend of Emma and August, heard you were doing this job and thought I'd lend a hand" he smiles mirthfully

"Aye much appreciated" he murmurs looking toward the building that houses the man he's after, trying to find a way in. there's a window open on the second floor but he still hasn't learnt to climb very well, he's only started learning recently. It's the only sane way though so he's gonna have to risk his inexperience and climb to get to the target, should be easier to take him out with Graham at his side.

"So are we going through the window?" Graham whispers sarcastically, as if he knows what Killian was thinking.

"Aye" they stay for a moment waiting for a guard to pass then make a dash for the trellis a few feet away from the window, climbing as far up the wall as they can before moving along the wall to the window. Graham makes it seem easier than it feels, but that probably because he another experienced Assassin like Emma.

Graham climbs into the window, Killian following close behind, breathing heavily from the effort.

"You okay there?" Graham whispers, stifling a laugh.

"Let's just get this over with, mate" he growls quietly moving to the door, opening it a crack to check the corridor. There's no footsteps outside the tiny room they're in but there are voices a couple rooms down.

He opens the door and steps out, keeping his steps light as he walks into the corridor. He saw Isaac in a window to the left of the room they climbed into, so he goes in the opposite direction, away from the voices. Graham looks at him quizzically but follows silently, glancing behind them as they walk to the room Killian believes to be Isaac's.

His idea is to wait until he shows up in the room and kill him before he gets the chance to defend himself. As they enter the room he explains his plan to Graham, the light haired man nodding silently as he listens. It's Killian's kill, Graham has said as much, unless he fails to kill Isaac he will not take the kill.

They stand in their positions in the room for twenty minutes before they hear Isaac's voice grow louder in the corridor. Two. Three. Four steps and the door to the room bursts open in Killian's face, almost hitting him in the face as six heavily armed men rush into the room.

The battle draws out in a mass of slashes and blood and curses. Each man waving their swords against each other, six against two. Five against two. Three against two.

A man with a grey beard and cold silver eyes charges in, wielding his sword and roaring as he rushes toward Killian. The two men he was fighting fall and he lifts it sword to deflect within seconds. He parries and slashes as he tries to beat back his attacker, breathing heavily as he pushes the enraged man away just for him to return with more force. The seconds tick on as he battles against his foe.

Graham is still clashing against the last of the six who'd charged in, sparks flying from their swords as they collide. Killian looks past his attacker to see Isaac rush into the room toward Graham, holding a pistol in one hand and a sword in the other. Before Killian has a chance to say something, a loud bang sounds out in the room and a puff of smoke rises from Isaac's gun. The distraction of Graham's lifeless body falling to the floor is all the Killian's opponent needed, taking advantage of it he pushes Killian back and slices of his left hand.

Killian screams with the pain but doesn't let it stop him. He draws his own pistol and fires at his attacker as blood spurts from his now severed wrist. As the haze of pain fades he watches as Isaac makes his escape, unable to stop him as he runs away. He walks away, leaving Graham's corpse behind as he makes his escape.

It wasn't easy and it took him an hour but he walked all the way to the Brotherhood sanctuary and into its heart.

He falls to his knees in the main hall, hearing calls for help as his mind starts to shut down. Before his consciousness goes he hears Ruby and Robin, and sees them rush toward him to help, asking what happened. His mind goes blank and the loss of blood and pain overwhelms him.

 **This is the second story where I've killed Graham… oops. I'm doing a prompt thing on Tumblr oh-no-a-whovian so feel free to send one :) Reviews?**


	11. worried heart

**Author's note:**

 **I've been so depressed recently I just couldn't write but I'm back!**

 **Disclaimer: no, nopity nope.**

Worried heart

April 8 1717

The weather was horrible, she'd been riding for days longer than her trip to Bristol. The rain slowed her trip back, forcing her to rest the horse every few mil and take the whole thing as slow as possible. She and the horse spent near the whole time soaking wet, which wasn't very good for her or the horse.

She calls Killian's name as she walks into the safe house, getting only silence in return. She frowns and walks to her room, planning to get a change of clothes before going to the sanctuary to check in. there's a letter on her desk, she sees as she walks into the dark room. She knows it's from Ruby as she picks it up, Ruby's neat cursive writing on the front. She unfolds the lightly crumpled paper and reads the few words written upon it, her heart leaping with worry at the news.

 _Emma_

 _As soon as you get this you need to come to the sanctuary._

 _Killian was injured severely on a job._

 _-R_

She rushes to change, grabbing her clean robes and strapping them on haphazardly and pulling up her hood as she rushes toward the door. The rain has eased up since she returned, so she steps out without worrying about getting soaked to the bane once more. She rushes to the sanctuary, her heart racing as she runs, but not from exercise. From fear for Killian.

"Where is he?" she asks Robin as soon as she enters the sanctuary.

"He's been staying in your room, he's fine Emma" he smiles reassuringly. They didn't have many rooms in the sanctuary so it made sense that he was staying in hers, it was vacant at the time after all.

"Thanks Robin" she spares him a smile, her racing heart slowing as she calms, and walks down the old hallway that leads to her room. She's just glad that he's alive, she owes him her life, after all without him mending her the time she was shot or saving her when she was being held prisoner and her ribs were broken, she would have died if not from the wounds then from infections.

She sighs before opening the door, pausing at the sight of him sleeping on her bed, the room is dark with the late evening light dwindling through the windows, but she can still see him okay at the moment. He's lying on his back, his left arm stretched across the bed, white cloth wrapped around where his hand used to be.

She didn't know the details of his injury until now, she still doesn't know what had happened that ended with the removal of his hand but as soon as he wakes up she can find out. She could just ask anyone in the sanctuary, surly someone would know, but she wants to ask him he was the one that lived through in after all.

She's not going to wake him up just to ask though, knowing how she had felt every time she gained a severe injury, she knows he'll need to rest up.

She moves to the desk deciding to pass the time writing some letters to Elsa and to some of her brothers in France and America. She might even write in her journal if she has the time. She's had a journal since the day she learnt to write but she hasn't written in it much of late, so many things getting in the way.

Two hours pass before she hears a groan from behind her, Killian tossing and turning as he wakes up. The only light in the room is the lantern on her desk, illuminating her half of the room in a soft orange glow and leaving his side pitch black.

"Emma?" he murmurs his voice deep with sleep. She smiles and finishes the sentence in her journal, turning the moment the quill hits the table.

"Hey, how are you?" she smiles, knowing it's not reaching her eyes. She may have calmed from the extreme worry that when she got there he'd be dead but she's still worried none the less.

"I'm fine love. When did you return?" he asks as he sits up. Even in the dark she can see him wince when he accidently puts pressure on his arm.

"About four hours give or take" she says as she walks over to him, sitting on the edge of the bed beside him. She looks down at the end of him arm to the space where his hand used to be and sighs "what happened to you Killian?"

"A rather solemn affair really" he sighs and continues, telling her about Graham, about the fight and the trap. She listens to the story from start to end, her expression sad as she listens. Graham was her friend and news of his death is sad indeed but he was also an Assassin, so she's not going to cry at the loss, because death is certain no matter how it happens.

"A shame about Graham" he sighs as he finishes "he seemed a decent fellow"

"Yeah he was" she mumbles, looking away from him. She may not cry for the loss but that doesn't mean it isn't affecting her.

"So what were you doing over there lass?" he nods toward the desk changing the topic, sensing the shift in her mood.

"Was merely writing in my journal to pass the time, clearing my mind"

"And is it, cleared?" he asks, watching her as she collapses back onto the bed, her legs dangling over the edge.

"I guess" she stares at the ceiling, unable to come up with a better answer. Her mind has been a mess since she saw the note in the safe house, and although it's calmer, it's not really cleared. "What are you going to do now Killian?"

"What do you mean love?"

"Well I doubt it'll be easy to be an Assassin with one less hand"

"Aye, right… I forgot it wasn't there for a moment, it feels like it's still there…"

"Oh Killian, it'll just take some time to adjust. I know it's not going to be easy for you but I'll be here" she reaches up and strokes his stubble covered cheek, smiling up at him reassuringly.

She knows she cares about him, if her time away had told her anything it's that. But her time away had ended in the loss of his hand. Maybe that's what she felt as she entered the tavern, that fear of losing him or the other way around drove her to fight like wildfire so she could get back to him, and when she got back he was injured. No. she may have the sense like all other Assassins in the order, but it can't do that. Can it.

He smiles down at her, a look on his face she can't quite place. Her hand is still on his cheek, her thumb idly stroking his stubble. He closes his eyes and turns his head, nuzzling her palm with a smile.

"You didn't answer my question" she whispers, her heart melting a little at the softness he's displaying.

"Because I don't know, love, but as long as I'm with you, and am not just left to the wolves then… well, I'm still a good fighter losing my hand won't change that. I may have no hope of learning how to climb like you but I can still be an Assassin"

She nods and drops her hand from his cheek, letting it fall above her head, still staring into his blue eyes in the darkness. "I was worried about you, you know, while I was gone. I had this feeling as if something bad was happening… and when I got back I found out why." She whispers finding her voice leave her as she confesses her worry.

He doesn't say anything, watching her cautiously. She doesn't blame him for being cautious now, every time he's made a move she's brushed it off out of fear. And, don't get this wrong, she's still terrified of the outcome but now she's more afraid of never giving whatever this is a chance.

Slowly she leans up, lacing her hand in his hair, and presses her lips ever so gently against his. His hand finds its way into her hair, his lips pressing more urgently against hers, his tongue begging entrance into her mouth and he deepens the kiss with passion.

Moments pass before thy break apart, gasping for air with their foreheads pressed together, eyes still closed. "Please don't leave me again" Killian whispers when she makes a move to sit up properly.

"I promise I won't leave, I'm merely moving to the other side of the bed"

He nods and shifts, allowing her to manoeuvre to the other side of the bed. She rests her head on his shoulder, suddenly exhausted from the lack of sleep she's had. She drifts off quickly to sleep, leaving Killian wide awake but content none the less.

/././././././././././

/./././././././.

He wakes to the warmth of her pressed tight against him, her butt pressed against his hardening length. He pulls her closer, if such a thing is possible, the stump where his hand used to be resting on her stomach as he holds her close. He closes his eyes and sighs, breathing in her sent, content to just be in the moment.

She stirs, humming as she wakes. "Morning love" he whispers into her ear, smiling in amusement when she groans in protest to being awake.

"Already?" she murmurs, still half asleep.

"Mmhmm" he hums pressing his lips to her uncovered neck. He's not willing to try to take things any further no matter how much he wants to. He'll follow her lead, allow her to make the choices, he can't scare her off again. She is too important so he will do this right, even if it kills him. "So what shall we be doing today?"

"Something fun I should think" she smiles, turning to face him. He knows she meant to make it sound like it did but has no intention of going there.

"Something fun it is" he winks, hopping out of the bed. He just hopes that the type of 'fun' she has in store will distract him from the type of fun his body is telling him to have.

 **So close to having the fun ;) Reviews? Please?**


	12. of simple things

**Author's note:**

 **Season five has been amazing so far! Oh look, a new chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: ha-ha no**

Of simple things

April 9 1717

As they wander along the street toward the market she smiles, the fresh air clearing her mind. She decided they shouldn't stay inside the stuffy sanctuary, she hates being trapped indoors all the time, preferring the bright light and different smells of the outside world.

As they walk he tells jokes and they laugh, the air around them light. She wishes this feeling would last forever, like there is nothing to worry about, like the life they lead doesn't doom them to an early death.

"Emma! Wait" someone calls from back down the street. They both turn to see august barrelling down the street toward them as if they'd gotten miles away from where he undoubtedly started running. "Hey guys" he smirks bending over double to catch his breath.

"Are you out of shape August?" Emma jokes, stifling a laugh as she watches her brother.

"Being stuck on a ship for months at a time tends to do that" he chuckles "I've been working on it"

"Was there a reason you chased us down, mate?" Killian smiles, rather falsely if his tone says anything.

"Yes actually. Emma, Robin said you were back but you didn't go speak the Grandmaster"

"I was busy. I'm sure Mr Master Assassin could've handled a few more hours before I spoke with him" she pauses as a memory from the previous day flashes in her mind "I also had to pick up a letter that I left in the safe house before I talk to him"

"Fine." He nods, looking toward Killian "so where were you two going?"

"Out for a wander" Killian smiles. He seems tense but Emma can't think of a reason why apart from maybe something happened while she was gone.

"Well okay. See you later Ems" he turns and wanders back the way he came. As soon as he's far enough away the air around Killian cools once more and he sighs.

"What was that about?" she asks, her brow furrowing at the confusing tension that had surrounded them when her brother was there.

"nothing, love" he smiles trying to shake it off but Emma's not convinced that it's nothing, there's something he's not telling her.

After a long pause she huffs out a 'fine' and begins walking down the street again, leaving him standing there for a moment before he follows behind.

"Love?" he sighs "it really is nothing Emma"

"Why is it I don't believe you?"

"Look I just wanted to spend the day with you and not have Assassin shit get in the way… remember when I told you I didn't want any of this getting in the way?" He says stopping her from walking for a moment. "Well even now that we're on the same side it's trying to get in the way" She looks into his eyes and sees he's telling the truth, and her heart softens a bit.

She's slightly worried that he's making her soft, destroying the walls around her heart. It's why she wasn't willing to try anything with him at first, because emotions in their line of work are dangerous.

"Okay" she smiles "let's go to those markets hmmm?"

"Aye" he grins and they walk on the air lighter once more.

/././././././././././

/././././././././././

The air is getting cooler as the day progresses, the sky clouding over once more, but Emma seems perfectly content to continue pursuing the stalls. She hasn't bought anything as they've wandered, just looks at the items like jewellery and such then continues on. There's one item he noticed her gaze stay on for longer than a few seconds and on a whim he bought it, thinking to give it to her later on. He hopes she'll accept the little silver swan pendant.

"The weather's turning to shite again" says one of the stall keepers, drawing Killian from his thoughts.

"It is isn't it" Emma replies looking at some coloured ribbons in front of her "I spent almost two weeks riding in this type of weather 'twas not a pleasant experience, for me or the horse"

"Rubbish luck tha' would've been" the man laughs "wha' say I give ya some ribbons for free eh?" he smiles with a look in his eye that makes Killian uncomfortable.

"I've no use for ribbons but thank you" she smiles and begins to wander from the stall. The man's smile falters as she walks away, not aware that Killian is eyeing him warily. "Killian!" Emma calls after he stood there for too long. He moves away from the stall, eyeing the man once more before he turns away.

"There's something off about that man" he says as he catches up to her, not turning back as they leave the market area.

"You don't say" she huffs "I mean who the hell offers up free shit? Someone who clearly doesn't own the stall and doesn't care where the money goes. Not to mention the blood on his sleeve and the vibes he was giving off"

"Hmmm you're right, but I didn't see any blood" _there wasn't any blood_ he thinks. He didn't see any on either sleeve, probably wasn't paying enough attention.

"That's because you don't have the sense" she mumbles looking behind them.

He'd ask more but when she looks back to face him, he can see on her face that she saw something she didn't like. And it's most likely the man from the stall following them, though he knows better than to look back and find out. So they continue along until they reach a side street that curves away from the safe house.

They walk a few metres down the empty street before she stops and looks back the way they came then back to him. "I need you to wait here" she says looking back down the street again.

"What?" his brow furrows, confusion obvious in his tone.

"Trust me" she smiles then turns toward the wall, climbing it in quick progression and disappearing onto the roof top.

Minutes pass as he stands in the small street, trying to think of what her plan may be, but before long the man that was following them showed his face at the opening of the alley way. It's not the man from the stall though, no this man is much bigger but light on his feet as he walks toward Killian, drawing swords from his belt. He just hopes Emma's plan was to draw the man in and not just abandon him without a weapon.

"Seems the pretty assassin girl's left her boy toy without a weapon" the hulking man taunts with a vindictive grin.

"Seems so" he smiles, backing up slowly. He trusts Emma hasn't just left him, just hopes she'll enact her plan sooner rather than later.

A small item falls to the ground between them and the area fills with smoke, burning his eyes and throat as it engulfs them. He hears a grunt and the sounds of fists meeting flesh but can't see anything, still blinded by the smoke around him.

As the smoke clears his eyes focus on the body of the man taking his final breath. Blood drips from the hidden blade strapped to Emma's wrist as she stands above the now cooling corpse. "Are you okay?" she asks after a moment of heavy silence.

"Aye" he studies her face for a moment noticing her split lip and cut eyebrow "we should probably go get those cleaned up"

"Yeah and get indoors before the weather worsens" she laughs, wincing when she touches her thumb to her spilt lip.

"Aye" he smiles and they walk out of the alley, leaving the body there.

/././././././././././

/././././././././././

As they reach the doorway of the safe house the rain starts to poor heavier, fat drops of water replacing the light drizzle that accompanied them there.

"I think we'll wait the weather out here before returning to the sanctuary" she says as a growl of thunder moves through the sky.

"That would probably be a good idea" he smirks "now let's get those cuts cleaned up hmmm?"

She rolls her eyes but follows him through the quiet house, dropping herself unceremoniously onto the chase as he lights the candles around the room. It's been a long few weeks and she's glad to finally relax again, after all it's not something she gets to do very often.

She watches Killian as he wanders across the room grabbing wood for the fire place, setting it up in a pile with kindling. It must be difficult with only one hand, especially when he isn't use to it yet.

"You need a hand with that?" she asks seconds before the fire place is lit up.

"No" he smiles walking out of the room to get a wash basin and something to clean her cuts. He said he wanted to do it so she's letting him.

"How'd you do all that with one hand?" she asks as he puts the basin on the coffee table in front of her. He smirks as he reaches into his pocket, pulling out a little flint and steel device the lamp lighters use and waves it in front of her. "And how'd you get that" she knows he didn't have it before they went out.

"Pickpocketed the lamp lighter we passed before we got here" he says still smirking as he sits in front of her next to the wash basin.

She watches him as he concentrates on cleaning her up, his eyes focused on the small cut on her eyebrow and the slightly larger one on her lip. She can't help but stare at his bright blues eyes and see the adoration he has for her there, or muse at the way his hair stands at funny angles after the wind had mussed it.

"Done" he smiles after the long stretch of silence.

She smiles at him, unconsciously licking her lips. "I'm ah… I'm gonna call it a night" she mumbles before getting up. His smile falters as she moves toward the door "would you like to join me?" she asks pausing in the doorway and turning to him. She doesn't mean it like that and the look on his face says he knows that, but he lit up none the less.

She merely wants someone to hold her and he's perfectly content with the idea.

He holds her close to him, their bodies in a similar position to how they awoke that morning and she sighs contentedly as she drifts off to sleep.

/./././././././.

/././././././.

In another part of London

"So Jones is with the Assassins?" Mr Gold asks, his tone angry and impatient.

"yes he was with tha' woman, tha blonde one tha' he freed" the man says, shifting uncomfortably under the Templar Grandmaster's gaze.

"I told you he was" Isaac's voice piped up "he tried to kill me a few weeks ago, same day I killed that other one. He was wearing the robes and all"

"I'm sure he was" Gold says pouring himself a drink "and what of the other man we sent to aid you?" he addresses the man.

"I'm not sure wha' 'appened to him bu' I'm assuming he's dead"

"You don't think he succeeded tailing them?" he asks calmly. He may seem calm on the outside but he's an inferno on the inside, rage at Jones' betrayal clouding his mind with fury.

"No" the man shakes his head.

"Thank you for your help then" he says, looking at Spencer. A second later a sword is driven into the man's back and he collapses to the ground, gurgling blood onto the rug.

"So how are we going to take care of Jones and the other Assassins?" Isaac asks after a moment.

"We're not" Mr Gold states "we're going to continue our search for the Apple, the piece of Eden."

"And if we don't get the Assassin's attention they won't be able to stop us" spencer adds.

"With our fellows in the West Indies searching for the observatory and us continuing the search for the Apple, well… soon enough the Assassins won't know what hit them" Gold says before he downs his drink.

 ***gasp* o.o reviews?**


	13. plenty of time

**Author's note:**

 **It's been a while, been working on prompts but here's another chapter :) it's turned into an actual cross over XD**

 **Disclaimer: hmmm nah**

Plenty of time

April 18 1717

The sun sets as they wait for an opportunity, the light dimming as she watches the carriages move along the street. Emma sits on a roof top outside Gold's mansion, August sitting right next to her, his unending chit chat grating on her nerves the for the last hour. Killian is leaning against the building below, waiting for the sign to enter the mansion and find out what the Templars are planning. There's been nothing but silence from them for the last nine days and that's worries her more than them constantly trying to kill them.

"I still don't know why we brought him along. I mean he's missing a hand what…"

"Shut up August" Emma snaps, cutting him off before he finishes his sentence. He's done nothing but say one way or another that Killian is not fit for this mission and she's had enough.

"I was just…"

"Seriously August stop, he's perfectly capable" she says watching the building for any signs of movement. Mr Gold is apparently taking his naïve wife to an opera or to dinner or something equally irrelevant to what they're doing. The only thing that matters is that he won't be there.

"What's the plan again?" her brother sighs watching her for a moment before turning his head back to the Templar home.

"We wait for Gold to leave then you and I sneak in through one of the windows. Killian's going to distract the guards then come through the back door once he's shaken them. It's not the safest plan, it's extremely flawed but all the best plans are"

"Don't you get caught often cause of plans like this?" he sighs, his lips pursed and his brows furrowed.

"Yep but…" she starts, pausing when Mr Gold's carriage arrives. Seconds later Gold and his wife Belle step out the front door and walk toward the carriage.

As soon as the carriage rides away Killian makes his move, crossing the cobble stone street and yelling at the guards posted outside. His hood is up so they can't see his face, but their anger is rising none the less at the obscenities he's shouting at them.

He breaks into a run seconds before they do, racing down the street with them in tow. She hears his laughter die away as he turns a corner. _At least he's enjoying himself_ she thinks, laughing quietly as she gets up and walks over to the chain joining the building she's on to the mansion. It always seems like there's a convenient chain or rope joined between two buildings, always taught enough to walk across, she's never really questioned it though.

She runs across it, as quiet as a mouse as she keeps her balance the whole way, her brother follows close behind less quiet but still balanced. She keeps running through ideas of what they'll be looking for, what rooms that stuff could be in, but really she has no idea. All she knows at the moment is that the lack of attack on the Templar's part means they're hiding something big.

She picks the lock on the window, shifting her knife to find the latch only missing it once, seconds later she and August are through the window. They split up to search different rooms, listening to every creak of wood and flap of curtains, staying alert as they shuffle through papers on desks.

Emma walks into the study, her cutlass raised in case of attack. She sees a stain on the floor as she walks to the desk, it's probably blood just over a week old by the looks of it. It doesn't matter though, sure she has a feeling that the blood could be from the guy at the market and that makes her feel guilty in a way, all that matters is what the Templars are up to. She starts searching through the papers on the desk, putting her sword on the desk next to her so she can grab it easily.

"Found anything yet love?" Emma jumps, raising her sword again before lowering it straight away realising it was Killian.

"Not yet but I'm looking" she smiles, looking back at the draw she'd opened before Killian walked in. sheets of old papers are piled up above a leather bound journal, someone obviously tried to hide its existence, not very well it seems. She pulls it out, careful not to muss up the delicate sheets above it, not wanting anyone to know anyone was here until too late.

"Is that Gold's journal love?" Killian asks walking to the other side of the desk. The pages are worn thin, the ink fading, but it's definitely Gold's, she recognises the hand writing.

"yeah it's his" she flips through the leathery book to the most recent page, it's obvious he doesn't write in it often, probably just the important stuff going but the jumps in dates.

"What's it say?" he asks walking around the desk to stand next to Emma.

She looks up at him and back at the page before reading it aloud.

 _14 April 1717_

 _I recall stories dating back centuries, back to Al Mualim and Robert de Sable and their quest for the Apple of Eden. How the master Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad had defeated them both and gained control of it, all because they decided to boast about their search._

 _I know I will not make this mistake as the others before me. I will search for it and its power quietly. I've asked my fellow Templar knights to leave the Assassins alone, especially the pirate traitor and Ms Swan. Though I think Jones may search for trouble to get Isaac back for the loss of his hand. If he tries I will tie off that loose end myself._

 _I've managed to keep all this from Belle but I fear that will not last forever, I just hope I will have the Apple and the Assassins taken care of by then…_

/././././.././././

 _Well that's interesting_ Killian thinks as Emma finishes reading the words on the page. He doesn't know what an 'Apple of Eden' is but it sounds like a curiosity, something magical perhaps? The way Gold described it, 'its power' suggests so.

"They're looking for an Apple of Eden?" Emma says looking up at Killian with wide eyes.

"What is it?" he asks, one brow raised as he looks between her and the journal.

"Are you serious? You don't know what the Apple is?" her brow furrows as he shakes his head "it's an all-powerful device made by a precursor race. It's said to hold knowledge of the future and the ability to control others. The famous Assassin Altaïr was said to have found one but apparently there are a lot more…"

A loud bang echoes through the halls of the mansion, drawing their attention away from the journal toward the door.

"We need to get out of here" August charges in, seeping red dripping down from a gash in his arm.

"August! What happened?" Emma rushes to him, shoving the journal into her satchel as she moves. Killian moves to the door, his sword held aloft, prepared for attack.

"Some of Golds followers, I think Isaac Heller and Albert Spencer, they found me in one of the bed rooms. We need to go!" he says, rushing his explanation.

"Aye mate we'll need go down stairs though, my lack of climbing prowess has limited my escape routes severely"

"Yeah, you and I will go that way Killian. August you get out through the window" Emma plans quickly. He's amazed at how quick she is on her feet, coming up with that plan in a matter of seconds, just another reason she caught his eye.

"I told you he'd be dead weight Emma" Killian's brow furrows, wondering when they'd had a conversation about him. It doesn't matter.

"We don't have time for this mate, get over yourself and let's go" August glares at him for a moment before walking to the door.

"I'm going with you two, I'm not risking my sister just because she believes she can always get away with something" Killian looks at him as he pushes past, his sword still hanging at his belt.

Emma shrugs as she walks past, her sword in one hand and a pistol in the other. He takes the rear, protecting Emma as best he can. He doesn't want her to get hurt again, she's already been hurt so many times now he can't let it keep happening.

They get so close to their escape, so close he can almost taste, but of course it's stolen from them. Three guards appear in front of the exit with Spencer and Isaac covering the way back.

"We thought leaving you alone would have made you lot back off. Obviously Gold doesn't know people as well as he thinks" Killian growls at Isaac, he may not have been the one to take his hand but he was the reason it was lost.

"It seems Mr Jones is dumber than we thought that's for sure" Spencer adds, snarling at him.

Emma doesn't give them the chance to add anything else, pulling her pistol up and shooting the guard in the middle, scattering the other two. She drops another with a second pistol before going for the third with her sword. Killian rushes spencer while August goes for Isaac, the sounds swords clashing filling the small room.

Emma fells her opponent with ease, joining August with his fight against Isaac. Killian fights with all he's got his sword sparking against Spencer's, fortunately Spencer is fighting with all he has as well but at his age it's not enough. Within seconds he lay bleeding, just in time for Killian to see August run through.

The end of the sword through August's gut drips with fresh blood, his eyes wide as red dribbles from his mouth. Emma cries out, running Isaac through before he has a chance to withdraw his weapon from her dying brother.

"August! No! August" she cries out as she pushes Isaac's dying body away and pulling the sword from August. "Please don't leave me, please you're my family"

Tears fall freely down Emma's cheeks as Killian kneels beside them. He told himself he wouldn't let her get hurt and that's exactly what happened even though it's not physical.

"You'll be fine without me Ems. You have our father and Ruby and Robbin, you have so many people and you have the pirate. You'll be fine" he whispers, his voice fading as his blood flows out of the wound.

"But I won't have you" he wipes her tears from her cheeks "you practically raised me August, please!"

"I know Em, I know" he chuckles dryly "I love ya too" a tear falls onto his face as the light fades fast behind his eyes.

"No" she whispers.

Killian can guess what she feels now, hell he'd been through the same thing with his own brother, even though this man may not be her brother by birth she loved him the same.

"Love we need to get out of here" he talks quietly in her ear.

She nods mutely before getting up and walking to the door. Killian pulls August up over his shoulders and walks behind her. Since he couldn't keep his first promise to himself to not let her get hurt, he'll just have to keep his new one. Put the pieces back together.

 **Awesome to know I'm a terrible person. I don't even warn people, I just kill people XD Reviews? Please?**


	14. As you were

**Author's note:**

 **So my life has been sucking as of late but I'm writing again yay! And sorry bout murdering August btw**

 **Disclaimer: |: nope**

As you were

April 21 1717

It's been four days since August's death and the whole sanctuary had taken it hard. Killian still flashes in his mind to the moment he had to tell Marco, how the old man crumpled to the ground. Emma couldn't even speak, she didn't cry, she just stood there as Killian told her adoptive father the news.

Emma hasn't left her room since then, couldn't handle any form of socialisation he guesses. She let him hold her though, didn't return the embrace just let him. He understands what it's like to lose a brother, someone he'd spent his whole life with, it had almost destroyed him and it's undoubtedly doing the same to her.

It's almost midnight as he walks back to her room, the darkness of the hallways surrounding him. He went to get a fresh pitcher of water Emma hadn't been drinking much and as a result the water he's been bringing has been given the chance to go stagnant. She hasn't eaten much either, he's brought her bread and a few pieces of dried meats but she barely touched any of it.

The candles are all out as he walks into Emma's room but he can already tell she's not in there. He places the pitcher on the table buy the door and walked over to the fire place to light it. He strikes the flint and steel twice before the fire bursts to life so he can see.

There's no note on the bed, nothing to tell him where Emma had gone. Her assassin robes aren't handing up like normal. It's like she just decided to get up and leave.

He grabs is robes as he walks to the door. He hopes he can follow her, hopes that maybe she hasn't left the sanctuary and is merely in the training room or something. But he knows that if she did leave the sanctuary he won't be able to catch her easy because unlike him, she has the skills to climb as well as both hands, and he has defiantly notice she prefers to use the roof tops rather than walk along the streets.

He wanders the halls of the sanctuary for a good hour, a candle now lighting his way as he checks each room she could possibly be in. he even check her brothers room but she isn't in there either.

He knows he probably won't find her but that doesn't mean he won't try. He sighs, snuffing out the candle he's carrying and leaves the sanctuary.

/././././././

She needed fresh air, she didn't want to stay in her room any longer. The more she dwelled on her brother's death the more dangerous any jobs she gets will be because she won't be focused. She left quickly after Killian had left the room so she wouldn't be stopped or be forced to have company on her walk.

She's planning to run and climb in all honesty though. To use the night air rushing past her to clear her mind of its weight and clear her heart of the debris that was her brother.

She climbs up the first tall building she comes across, her hand gripping onto edge as easily as always, her feet finding hold with ease. The muscles in her body tuned for just this, pulling her higher up the building. She used to have to watch everything she did when she was learning this as a child but now it come as an instinct, her eyes, mind and body knowing her limits.

Emma has loved to climb since she was taught how to. Her real father taught her some but she was only small, unable to do much, she doesn't even really remember it anymore.

The moment she reaches the top of the building she's off, running, jumping and rolling along the rooftops, executing each landing perfectly. Her mind races as she does, her brother, her father, her mother, Killian, Ruby, every single person she's killed in the name of the brother hood, it all rushes trough her mind with each foot fall.

She doesn't have a destination in mind as she moves further and further away from her home, from the sanctuary, from Killian.

She slows as she reaches one of the bridges that cross the Thames. She doesn't know which one she has found herself at, she wasn't paying attention. She climbs down and begins to walk across it. A new set of thoughts going through her mind, like how to stop the Templars from getting this Apple of Eden that their master Gold wrote about.

She hasn't noticed how far across the bridge she's gotten, her thoughts distracting her from each step she takes.

She takes another step, finally reining in her thoughts, as a large sack is draped over her head and she's shoved into a carriage.

"Really?" she shouts as she tries to squirm free of the rope whoever is binding around her hands and feet. "I've been in worse situations than this! You won't hold me for long!"

"We're not planning to" a gentle feminine voice retorts.

"Why tie me up then?" Emma asks in a calmer tone. A moment passes with no reply "is there a reason you're doing this?" still nothing. She decides to sit in silence and wait for whatever happens.

/././.

An hour has passed and Emma is still bound as the carriage comes to a halt. She hears a mumbled conversation outside the carriage before large hands lift her, definitely not a woman. Emma struggles a bit under the grasp of the man but stops when she feels that it's futile.

"Untie her we don't need her tied up, she's not gonna kill us" the woman says.

"How do you know that? You did tie me up and drag me to the other side of the city" Emma retorts.

"Because once I'm done talking you'll be free to go" she states.

The sack is removed from Emma's head slowly, for drama reasons she guesses.

"Belle Gold?" Emma asks once she has focused on the face of the woman before her.

"Let's get to the reason I had you brought here. My husband has been lying to me and he has bad things in store for the world and for your brotherhood" Belle starts.

"Yeah… we're aware of some of it…" Emma says, rooted to her spot wondering why Mr Gold's wife is saying this.

"I need you to stop him… I always believed he was a good man but he was obviously just a good actor. He's fooled me for years and it has to stop" she sighs, pulling a bunch of letters from the muff around her hands and handing them over "these will help a bit, I'll have anymore that I think may interest you sent to a location of your choosing"

"Why are you doing this to your husband?" Emma asks her brow furrowing as she takes the letters.

"Because I care about others and from what I've read all he wants to do is hurt them…. will you do this?" she asks a tear running down her cheek. It's obvious that it's hurting her to betray her husband but she has to be very strong to do it anyway.

"Of course, Belle… I'll save everyone" she smiles, tells Belle a location to send any new letters and went on her way.

 **Omg omg I took forever D: reviews?**


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